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Mill of Île-Perrot
Mill of Île-Perrot
Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Canada
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Other Projects by Beaupré Michaud et Associés, Architectes
Mill of Île-Perrot
Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Canada
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2022
BUDGET
$0 - 10K
National Historic Site of Canada, Pointe-du-Moulin Park is located near Lake Saint-Louis on the eastern tip of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot.
The windmill was built in 1707 in New France by carpenter Léonard Paillé dit Paillard (1647-1729) and master mason Jean Marset, at the request of Joseph Trottier Desruisseaux, then the seigneur of the island. The miller’s house was constructed starting in 1786. The heritage value of the site lies in part in the fact that these buildings have survived as an ensemble and that each structure is an example of the earliest construction methods of the seigneurial regime at the beginning of the 18th century.
In 1977, the site was classified by Quebec’s Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. That same year, enhancement and restoration work was undertaken by the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) according to plans by architects Blouin Blouin et Associés.
Beaupré Michaud et Associés, Architectes was commissioned in 2016 by SODEC to carry out repair and restoration work on the Pointe-du-Moulin historic park. At that time, the mill had been out of operation for several years, as a windstorm had torn off its sails and local wildlife had taken up residence. The welcome pavilions showed signs of disorder, and after forty years, the shingles were showing the effects of seasonal wear. A rigorous analysis of the condition of the various components was conducted by Josette Michaud, accompanied by the miller himself, Normand Pigeon. During the surveys, despite the advanced deterioration of some components, the quality, efficiency, and simplicity of the joinery—both in the original components and in the modern pavilions from the 1970s—were noted. The firm then recommended an exemplary restoration approach, prioritizing repair and reuse over demolition, and favoring grafting and scarfing over replacement…
To better understand the scope of the project, a technical description of this machine-building helps clarify the challenges encountered. The mill consists of a cylindrical stone tower about 6 meters in diameter and 8 meters high. The rubble stones are mainly made of Potsdam sandstone, as is the eastern tip of the island, the emerged part of the Cairnside formation. An assembly of massive wood sills caps the circular masonry tower to form the stationary track. This, like a railroad rail, allows the entire roof structure resting on it to rotate on a vertical axis so that the whole roof and the sails can be manually oriented according to the wind. The roof structure is composed of a turning track that serves as a support while allowing movement. It is topped by a conical wooden structure. The entire framework is traversed by the main shaft of the sails, which transmits motion to a 2-meter-diameter wooden gear located at the center. The main shaft, called the “arbre,” is made from a solid oak piece measuring 350 mm square and 5.7 meters long. The internal mechanism, located right at the center of the cylinder, transmits the horizontal rotation of the sails to the millstone turning on a vertical axis. Perfect symmetry is essential. Although the building is small in size, it is organized on three levels to accommodate the different stages of grain processing. A few wooden windows provide natural light. Gun slits are also present, as the building served as a place of refuge and defense. Two doors are located on the ground floor, so that one is always on the side opposite the moving sails.
The windmill was built in 1707 in New France by carpenter Léonard Paillé dit Paillard (1647-1729) and master mason Jean Marset, at the request of Joseph Trottier Desruisseaux, then the seigneur of the island. The miller’s house was constructed starting in 1786. The heritage value of the site lies in part in the fact that these buildings have survived as an ensemble and that each structure is an example of the earliest construction methods of the seigneurial regime at the beginning of the 18th century.
In 1977, the site was classified by Quebec’s Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. That same year, enhancement and restoration work was undertaken by the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) according to plans by architects Blouin Blouin et Associés.
Beaupré Michaud et Associés, Architectes was commissioned in 2016 by SODEC to carry out repair and restoration work on the Pointe-du-Moulin historic park. At that time, the mill had been out of operation for several years, as a windstorm had torn off its sails and local wildlife had taken up residence. The welcome pavilions showed signs of disorder, and after forty years, the shingles were showing the effects of seasonal wear. A rigorous analysis of the condition of the various components was conducted by Josette Michaud, accompanied by the miller himself, Normand Pigeon. During the surveys, despite the advanced deterioration of some components, the quality, efficiency, and simplicity of the joinery—both in the original components and in the modern pavilions from the 1970s—were noted. The firm then recommended an exemplary restoration approach, prioritizing repair and reuse over demolition, and favoring grafting and scarfing over replacement…
To better understand the scope of the project, a technical description of this machine-building helps clarify the challenges encountered. The mill consists of a cylindrical stone tower about 6 meters in diameter and 8 meters high. The rubble stones are mainly made of Potsdam sandstone, as is the eastern tip of the island, the emerged part of the Cairnside formation. An assembly of massive wood sills caps the circular masonry tower to form the stationary track. This, like a railroad rail, allows the entire roof structure resting on it to rotate on a vertical axis so that the whole roof and the sails can be manually oriented according to the wind. The roof structure is composed of a turning track that serves as a support while allowing movement. It is topped by a conical wooden structure. The entire framework is traversed by the main shaft of the sails, which transmits motion to a 2-meter-diameter wooden gear located at the center. The main shaft, called the “arbre,” is made from a solid oak piece measuring 350 mm square and 5.7 meters long. The internal mechanism, located right at the center of the cylinder, transmits the horizontal rotation of the sails to the millstone turning on a vertical axis. Perfect symmetry is essential. Although the building is small in size, it is organized on three levels to accommodate the different stages of grain processing. A few wooden windows provide natural light. Gun slits are also present, as the building served as a place of refuge and defense. Two doors are located on the ground floor, so that one is always on the side opposite the moving sails.
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