Le Cugarel mill is the last vestige of the 32 mills that the town had in the Seventeenth century. It is a small windmill, perched at the top of the city, in a place that offers panoramic view on the Black Mountain.
Built in local stone, it is typical of Lauragais windmills with its frustoconical shape. Restored in 1962, he still has all his interior mechanism intact : large spinning wheel, large iron and the two chambers of the millstones.
Miller, you sleep
Well not at all! The job of a miller was very demanding and difficult.
The grindstones of the Cugarel mill, carved from the Sidobre granite near Castres, made one revolution per second. At this rate, we could produce grinding at a rate of 3 bags per hour (50 kg bags for oats and wheat, 78 kg bags for corn). The miller oriented the wings from the roof or " capelado » thanks to a rack. Depending on the strength of the wind, Cers ou Autan wind, the miller arranged the sails on the wings, 7 meters long. After releasing the brake, the grinding work could begin. The Cugarel mill operated until 1921.
The creation of canal du midi by Pierre-Paul Riquet provided the flour mills with flight important. Castelnaudary became the only major port between Toulouse and the sea allowing the export of all cereal wealth of Lauragais.
Where to find me?
Heart stroke
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