13th century

The ‘Roche à Moulin’ is an area located near the mouth of the Molignée and the banks of the Meuse, marked by a rich economic history. As early as the 13th century, a state-owned flour mill, known as the Preitz mill, operated here under the authority of the County of Namur. This was a common mill, forcing the inhabitants to have their grain ground there. Destroyed in 1448 during the conflicts between Namur and Liège, the site was sold to the Abbey of Moulin, which rebuilt a mill and an oil press.

16th century

During the 16th century, wars between Spanish troops and insurgents caused further destruction. Around 1578, the mill was rebuilt inside the monastery for greater safety. It continued to be leased to millers. Several leases mention its operation until the 18th century, with specific obligations for the millers, such as payment in grain and maintenance of the mill.

18th century

With the death of Armand Bauchau, the last manager of the mill, and his wife, their house, an elegant manor house, came up for sale, and the Anhée local authority planned to buy it and turn it into the town hall. This project, which was rejected by the opposition, never materialised. Instead, an association of entrepreneurs bought the property and its extensive grounds.

Sur la carte postale ci-jointe, on peut voir les cheminées aujourd'hui disparues et vestiges de l'exploitation métallurgique.

19th century

Moulin's iron industry is coming to an end. Established in 1603, it lasted for 265 years, experiencing ups and downs, periods of intense vitality, slowdowns and stoppages. The site where these activities were carried out has now been cleared for new industrial activities. With the days of the forges behind them, the Bauchau family, owners with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, needed to set up new businesses. La Roche à Moulin became home to a large flour mill and a distillery.

20th century

Sacks of flour were transported in horse-drawn covered wagons. They served customers in the surrounding area and loaded the grain to be ground at Yvoir station. In 1906, a technical breakthrough saw a water turbine replace the paddle wheel, which was driven by the current of water. 1914-1918 brought about the definitive closure of the distillery, while the mill idled. With the war over, business picked up again.

On 21 May 1941, a serious fire broke out during the night in the part of the mill containing the cylinders. This part of the mill was soon reduced to rubble. Only the part housing the stone millstones remained intact, which meant that cattle feed could continue to be ground, but this activity was insufficient. In 1949, the Board of Directors decided to dissolve the flour mill company. Armand Bauchau continued to produce cattle feed until 1962, after which the warehouses were leased to a grain merchant. In 1981, the Anhée local authority bought the site of the mill along with what remained of the buildings. The ruined part was levelled. The remaining buildings were used by the CAFT (apprenticeship and work training centre), which provided training for young people with few qualifications or who were unemployed. The annexes to the mill were used as storage facilities for municipal machinery.

With the death of Armand Bauchau, the last manager of the mill, and his wife, their house, an elegant manor house, was put up for sale, and the Anhée local authority planned to buy it and turn it into a community centre. This project, rejected by the opposition, never materialised. Instead, an association of entrepreneurs bought the property and its extensive grounds.

In 1994, work began on converting the old forge into a restaurant. Over time, the complex grew. The land of the old mill was bought from the municipality of Anhée. This ensemble now forms our first-class hotel complex, ‘Les Jardins de la Molignée’.