Field Trip Part 2: Moulins

Sorry, not Moulin Rouge (this time). Moulin is the french word for "windmill" or in this case we are talking about a flour mill! Our class went to tour the flour mill which supplies our school and a lot of Paris bakeries, pastry shops and cafes with flour. We had learned about the process in class and then we got to witness it in action and I thought it was pretty awesome (nerd alert!). 

Table "A" :)

In case you don't know, flour begins as grains of wheat and is crushed up many times and separated until you get what you think of as flour.  Today, it is all done by machines but we also got to see how they did it before technology changed the world. It was done with giant stones that ground up the wheat.  Here in the modern, functioning moulin. It is set out in the open country along a lovely little river - just step inside and you will find some intense machinery.

It is always crazy to me when I find myself standing in a building with so much history. The old mill has been there for hundreds of years. It's last year of production was 1905 and everything inside dates from then. It was one of 40 moulins along this little river and it one of the final ones standing today. They are now working on restoring it for the beauty of seeing it as it was in it's hay-day. The family who owns the mills are such lovely people and we were privileged to have lunch with them in the sweet little country town. It was so beautiful out there in the country (about 1 and a half hours outside of Paris) and a nice break from the city. I could fill my lungs with fresh, crisp air with no cigarette smoke or smog!  The best news, this moulin exports their flour! This means all you American lovers of mine will get real french baguettes someday soon, none of that supermarket hoopla! 

Then we had to have just a bit of fun.