Saint-Maixent-l'Ecole, Charente 79400

Mill founded in title as early as 1204 for sale with wheel and pond between Niort and Poitiers (79 Poitou in Aquitaine): 265 m² habitable, 10 recently restored rooms in large volumes surrounded by terraces; wide and peaceful river, lock, waterfall, gate, functional paddle wheel, gears, stones. Barn 240 m²; 1.3 ha of landscaped park, gardens, meadows, orchard, vegetable garden... Key-ready residence in a magnificent site: the countryside in a "small village of character"! On the outskirts of a typical "small village of character" from old Poitou, this mill, mentioned as early as 1204 as belonging to a noble estate with justice rights, still showcases many very old remnants and a strong, atypical character. Named "Stronghold on its Hill", not far from the road axes from Niort to Poitiers, the postcard village features a feudal castle, remnants of a priory, chapel, scattered mills along the river, springs and fountains, church and temple, grand townhouses, lovely houses from all centuries, gardens, walks, woods, and valley. High above, even the 19th-century church has been classified, and the surroundings of the village have been declared "to be protected" by the PLU. The Moulin de la Crémaillère, located in a loop of the river, is thus in a protected perimeter of "historic centers of towns", "historical monuments", "listed and classified sites", and its park and meadows in zone N "sector to be protected due to the quality of the site, natural environments, landscapes, and their aesthetic, historical or ecological interest." It is in this spirit that the old mill has been fully restored, preserving its original elements still present. At the end of a dead-end, bordered by a calm and wide river, the property offers buildings made of bright local limestone, hidden by the back of the miller's barn, whose entrance porch - still paved with its medieval cobblestones polished by the feet of horses and cart wheels - rests on imposing stone pillars. A meticulous paving leads from this original shelter to the western main facade of the miller's residence overlooking a landscaped park of 1.3 ha, with courtyards, terraces, varied flower beds, lawns, shaded meadows of deciduous trees bordered by low walls. Don't forget the fruit trees and the vegetable garden sheltered by old walls. The two meadows allow for keeping animals, and why not some horses that would take you directly to the long paths through the woods. The mill, constructed of local cream stone, jointed with lime; EVERYTHING has been renovated with patience and respect since 2004: The original machine room and its works: the four-meter wheel, renovated, has regained its rolling motion; from the conduit on the river to the water chamber, thanks to the flow regulated by the racked mill gate, the flat paddle wheel "from below" drives the first vertical gears of the chest stone (with funnel); the second, smaller gears lead to the dormant stone mill. And while the room, made of dressed stone, has been raised, and the medieval works modified to taste the progress, the old staircase and stone slabs bear witness to the antiquity of the place, used for over eight centuries! The machine room can be managed from the outside in the south, along the river bordering the property to the west, near which lies the two-shovel lock. The water regulation of the fall conduit and the lock dates from 1864. Due to a total renovation of the works and the absence of other milling machinery and equipment: separated by glass, the stone-paved entrance from Burgundy has been arranged in this room, leading to the millers' dwelling on two levels; remain the oculus overlooking the passage in the courtyard and the medieval sink stone. At the back * shower room with toilets for comfort after effort in the park or by the pool; * technical room (solar water heater). A more contemporary staircase in Elm allows access to the upstairs office (with exposed old framework), which overlooks the machines. Also a view of t