Windmills of Montmartre, Maurice Utrillo.
Bread was the staple food for the poor French peasants.
During shortages, prices could double, dramatically straining the finances of poor French families.
As such, grain merchants were often detested and viewed with suspicion.
They were accused of adulteration and hoarding grain to artificially raise the price of this vital commodity.
Moulin de la Galette has quite a history.
Moulin de la Galette, circa 1885.
Several members of the Debray family was killed in the process.
The miller himself was hacked to pieces and his body parts were nailed to the wings of the windmill.
During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Montmartre was attacked by twenty thousand Prussian soldiers.
Eventually, the windmill became a cabaret.
Great artists such as Renoir, Van Gogh, and Pissarro have immortalized Moulin de la Galette in paintings.
It is now a private property.
Moulin Radet sitting atop the Moulin de la Galette restaurant.
Photo:Kiev.Victor/Shutterstock.com
The other surviving windmill of Montmartre isMoulin Radet, also owned by the Debray family.
The windmill now stands atop a restaurant, named after Moulin de la Galette, at its original site.
Moulin Radet sitting atop the Moulin de la Galette restaurant.
Photo:vvoe/Shutterstock.com
Moulin Radet.
TheMoulin d’Orgemontwas originally an old tower of Blanche de Castille, dating from the 13th century.
It was turned into a restaurant in the middle of the 19th century.
The restaurant is still there.
It was built in 17th century and was operational until the early 19th century.
Then for a brief period it became a warehouse and lost its wings.
It was restored to working order.
Moulin de la Tour now makes walnut oil for visitors amusement.
Moulin de la Tour at Ivry sur Seine.
Photo:PaolaBe/Shutterstock.com
TheOld Longchamp Windmillwhich stands today on Longchamp racecourse in Bois de Boulogne is a reconstruction.
The original was once part of a monastery, and was built in the 13th century.
During the French Revolution, when clerics were banished, the abbey along with the windmill was demolished.
It was rebuilt on the same foundations when the course was renovated in 1856.
The Old Longchamp Windmill at night.
Photo:Sander Groffen/Shutterstock.com
Windmills of Paris in Art
Le Moulin de la Galette, Van Gogh.
Le Moulin de La Galette, Van Gogh.
Windmills on Montmartre, Van Gogh.
Montmartre the Quarry and Windmills, Van Gogh.
Windmills at Montmartre, George Michel (1763 - 1843)
