The mill of Orgemont

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History of the mill of Orgemont : Originally, it would have been a watchtower allowing, thanks to its high position, to monitor troop movements in the region. But the first mentions of the building only appear from the 16th century, three centuries later. It was then already transformed into a windmill and belonged to the Lords of Saint-Gratien, who rented it to the millers of the region until the Revolution. In 1810, Louis Monnier, a local miller, bought and operated the mill. At the same time, his wife opened a small restaurant there for walkers, who came to enjoy the exceptional view of the region. In 1815, the Prussian occupying army turned the hill of Orgemont into a privileged observatory on the capital. From the second half of the 19th century onwards, numerous guinguettes and small leisure places appeared in the mills, which were used less and less. The surroundings of the capital and the high altitude of some of these mills attracted crowds in search of a change of scenery in the countryside. This fashion is established at the same time as the arrival of the railroad in the cities near Paris, making them sought-after holiday resorts. In 1847, the mill, which was only occasionally occupied, closed its doors for good, but the restaurant became one of the most popular guinguettes in the region. Around 1895, the owners built a belvedere and a circular glass roof. Over the years, the Moulin d'Orgemont has become one of the most famous restaurants in the region, helped by its successive owners. In the 1950s, one of them decided to develop the attraction of the place by enlarging it in a very original way: he used a large barge which was turned over to make a new restaurant room. He also installed beams from the former royal chapel of the Palace of Versailles, elements of the Dunkirk lighthouse and parts of the mill. It is in this room with its heterogeneous decoration that dinners and lunches are served to customers who come from all over the Ile-de-France region to admire the place. The Musical Ride, a historical piece: In 1954, still with the aim of attracting the curious, the owner acquired at an auction a horse riding arena, built in 1893 for the Hamburg International Trade Fair. About 17 metres in diameter, the carousel is made up of six imposing carriages, each one harnessed to four horses. All are made of carved wood, decorated with scrolls and medallions. A 100-horse steam engine powers the merry-go-round and the accompanying musical organ. Nowadays, the mechanism is driven by a truck engine. Only the carousel lounge remains today, but it originally consisted of a lounge, an American bar and a dance hall. Its exceptional dimensions and its lot of animations make it then what we call a "hippo-palace". In the 1930s, the structure made seven to eight fairs a year, transported by train. The Moulin d'Orgemont carousel is a rare and precious testimony of fairground art. This piece, one of the only ones in France, was classified by the National Treasury in 2002. In 1999, a fire ravaged the tower, threatening to destroy the treasures it contains. Located on the ground floor and in the basement, neither the dining room nor the Musical Ride were fortunately untouched by the flames. Rebuilt identically, the mill reopened its doors in 2004, and regularly invites the curious to climb on the Carrousel at the end of the meal, or to admire the view from the panoramic roof terrace. But on Sunday 30 June 2019, the carrousel of the Orgemont mill is unfortunately sold at auction for €600,000. From now on, only the restaurant and the tower with its splendid view overlooking Paris remain. (Modeled on Tinkercad)