From yesteryear…

By going through our archives, we have discovered that the Tower Mill dates from the 16th century. We have found documents pertaining to the mill dating back to 1772. On a notary deed of 11 September 1772, the Mill belonged to Lady Catherine de Monzie, widow of Mr. Joseph de Fénis, King Councillor, private lieutenant of the Présidial and seneschal of the town of Sarlat. Lady de Monzie lived in the Massaud Castle situated above the Tower Mill. At that time, most castles had their own flour and oil mill that were run by peasants, exploited by the castle owners.
The Tower Mill is comprised of two mills, a wheat flour mill and an oil mill. Each one has its own channel wheel and both are activated by water from the Enéa River, which finds its source in Proissans (3km upstream the Mill) and runs into the Dordogne River in Carsac (10km away).
The flour mill holds several pairs of grinding stones for (wheat) grain that it transforms into flour. Today, one pair remains in the Mill’s reception hall.
In October 1946, Mr. Armand BREGEGERE (the maternal grandfather of the current owner, Mrs. BORDIER) left Paulin to fulfil his dream by buying a mill. He settled into the Tower Mill with his wife Eulalie and daughter Madeleine (as his son René was already married and working as a restaurateur in Salignac, close to the family birthplace, at Meynardie Farm in Paulin).
In April 1947, Madeleine BREGEGERE wed a young farmer from Sainte-Nathalène, Urbain TACHE. Urbain moved there and took on the function as miller of the flour mill. At that time, the flour mill was their main activity, as they produced wheat flour for bakers. Urbain travelled far and wide throughout the region on a cart, along with his horse, to deliver flour to bakers to be used for bread making. The oil mill was secondary at that time. People came to press their winter walnuts following the harvest, for a drying, nut cracking and removal ritual by the fire before leaving with their walnut oil supply for the year.
As testified by the former dwellers of the Tower Mill, both mills were in full operation during the Second World War, particularly during the night. In this period, goods such as oil and flour were quite a rarity and people would come by in their carts with horses to exchange their wheat and walnuts for flour and oil.
There is also a bread oven situated close to the water storage area behind the mill where bread was made using flour from the mill. Francine BORDIER, daughter of Urbain, remembers her grandfather Armand quite well, who made bread there.

In the 50s, there were more than ten water-activated mills on this river (for oil and flour), which shows the importance of the trade at that time.
In the 60s, Urbain TACHE converted the traditional flour mill into a cylinder mill, as flour mill activity was rather strong.
After that, the oil mill’s activity further developed in the 70s and 80s. Given the demand for his walnut oil, expressed by shopkeepers in Sarlat, he set up a business and that is when it all began. Urban then combined the trades of farmer, miller and oil producer.
In 1995, he had to stop the flour mill as the demand never ceased to decrease. Bakers were buying flour at industrial flour-milling plants in order to obtain large quantities at the lowest possible cost. On the other hand, however, the walnut oil trade was booming..

Until Today…

Francine BORDIER, one of Urbain TACHE’s daughters hoped to make her dream come true by taking over the oil mill to further develop the trade. This became a reality in 1988 with the help of her husband Jean-Pierre, now at the helm of the enterprise..
Business gradually grew with the sale of the oils in local shops and on location with the picturesque bottling of oil before the customer, inside the Mill! It was also possible for people to bring their walnuts from the winter to have them pressed and added to their oil, while paying a price for the service provided. .
Today, due to the popularity of the Sarlat Region, many tourists come throughout the year, especially in summer, to pay a visit to the Mill for its old-fashioned production of walnut oil and more recently for the hazelnuts and almonds as well. At the end of a guided tour, guests can taste these oils and other by-products. The Mill shop offers virgin walnut, hazelnut and almond oils produced on location as well as other products such as vinegars, mustards, cakes, walnuts and walnut kernels, aperitif spirits and liqueurs, sweets, etc.
The Tower Mill also sells these oils and other products throughout the region, nationwide and abroad; for example in Switzerland, Germany, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States.
This family-run firm continues its craft, hiring employees for bottling, production and guided tours as well as providing seasonal jobs in the busy summer period. In addition, two Sales Representatives (acting for several firms) sell their products throughout the region.
Since 1947, this enterprise has been passed down from father to daughter, with Francine BORDIER as the third-generation owner.