A water mill in the Auvergne region
The Moulin Ligonnet is a water mill that dates back to the time of the French Revolution. It is a so-called vertical water mill, meaning that the water falls onto the wheel from above.
In the mill, all the old equipment to process different types of grains is still present. However, these are no longer in use, as there is now a hydroelectric plant attached to the mill. The plant provides electricity for the house. The maximum capacity is 7.5 kWh, depending on the season and the amount of rain, the turbine produces on average about 5 kWh, which in most months is enough not to need electricity from the public grid.
The mill sits on a rugby ball-shaped site surrounded on all sides by forested ridges. At the top of the rugby ball, the stream called Le Creuzier arrives and a fork occurs at the tip. To the right the water enters the bief, where it passes under the road in front of the mill and falls on top of the wheel causing it to turn. On the left, the creek flows past the property. After the water falls on the wheel, it flows back into the stream through two channels under the garden. This flows into the Credogne a little further on.
