Putting your shoulder to the wheel

Water turns the cogwheels, which turns the grinding wheel... But all this amounts to nothing, without the miller’s expertise.

The seigneurial des Éboulements mill

In summer and winter, and under the watchful eye of Jean-Guy Tremblay, a descendant of its very first miller, the seigneurial des Éboulements mill, built somewhere around 1790, grinds local flour using a traditional method. Having grown up in Charlevoix, playing in the mill that his father operated at that time, only when significant restorations occurred in the 1980s did Jean-Guy put his own shoulder to the wheel as consultant: He was the one who knew the peculiarities and the little details about how the ancient mechanical system worked. Years later, his expertise has sharpened even further: he can identify every little imbalance, every potential technical problem just hearing the slightest sounds made by the mill.

Flour enriched by history

Now an integral part of the mill’s story, Jean-Guy works enthusiastically to pass his knowledge down to the next generation, in the person of Nicolas Burlet, the new miller. The latter knows the flour milling process from start to finish, has studied wheat farming and worked in a bakery. It’s an approach that will be felt throughout the beginnings of this new chapter for the des Éboulements seigneurial mill: One of the very last operating artisanal mills, working proudly under the auspices of The Canadian Heritage of Quebec organization, and a member of the Association des moulins du Québec. Discover the unique soul of this mill by taking a tour, participating in the workshops, or simply by tasting the excellent crêpes you make with the flour it mills, from the comfort of your own home!