Water Mills For Sale in France

Water mills for sale in France - there is something almost unfathomably romantic about water mills. Every year we come across house hunters in France looking for one. In order to understand and analyse the attractions of this specific type of property, we need to discuss a number of related questions.

· Why are water mills in France perceived as desirable places to live in?
· What are their unique features?
· What sort of people do they appeal to?
· How much do they cost to purchase?
· How practical are they as restoration projects?
· What are the potential drawbacks and pitfalls involved in buying one?

Part of the desirability of water mills is the sense of owning a piece of history. Some existing mills appear on maps as early as the 1720s and many more were constructed both before and during the Industrial Revolution. Novels such as The Mill on the Floss and Don Quixote have helped to add an element of romanticism to them. Their location on the river and often in remote or secluded settings adds to their desirability. They nearly always offer spectacular views and for many people both the sound and power of the water is part of the charm.

In terms of their unique features, many retain the working mechanisms even though most now stand idle. Items such as the pit wheel, crown wheel, pulleys and shafts contained in the engine room add a museum type quality to the buildings. Indeed, one mill we have on our books has been renovated to incorporate a private museum, with the mill workings, tools, sepia photos etc. on display. The enormous attics - often containing attractive, round windows with views down the river – offer blank canvases for people to create loft style living or studios.

Water mills appeal to a wide range of people. We have visited, for example, with retired engineers interested in both the history of and possible future uses of water power, e.g. using the turbine to generate one’s own electricity. Also, couples wanting to purchase a large building with a ‘wow’ appeal to help attract tourists, either offering bed and breakfast accommodation or a self-catering wing.

We take on water mills every year, occasionally empty shells in need of complete restoration and conversion, more often with a section renovated and the remainder left unconverted, or sometimes entirely converted…with a price to match. For a smaller mill, partly renovated, or a vast mill which is structurally sound but in need of conversion, the prices tend to start at around 250,000 euros. Large mills luxuriously converted into family homes with guest wings start at around 700,000 euros.

How practical they are as renovation/restoration projects depends largely on how practical the purchaser is and/or how deep his pockets are! Many contain ground floors which are designed to flood and so accommodation is sometimes on the upper floors only. The best restorations I have visited are ones where the original features of these working buildings have been retained, re-used and in some cases reinvented.

Among the potential pitfalls and drawbacks is the sheer size and scale of the buildings, both in terms of building costs and heating bills. Also, like some of the cathedral barns on the market, flair and imagination are required to reinvent these spectacular, vast structures. The finished article, though, can be simply spectacular.

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