“Seventy-five feet wide” I whisper. That’s the span of the sails of a nearby windmill. But where exactly are we? This is the Sentier du Sempin. It is located in Chelles. It’s a place perhaps more connected to windmills than you might think.
The Sempin Windmill itself stands in Montfermeil. This is a French department of Seine-Saint-Denis. It is about 20 km east of Paris. This windmill is the last survivor in the department.
Originally the tower was built in 1740. It replaced the Bruyères windmill. That earlier windmill had been around since 1525. By 1740 it had become obsolete. Messire Hocquart first rented it to Jacques Boyartaux on May 6 1742.
The windmill was reconstructed in 1818. Later in the 19th century it fell into disrepair. Competition from another mill made it redundant. It was restored in 1896. At that time it was known as Moulin de la Galette. It became a Sunday attraction. Sadly in the 20th century, it began to deteriorate again.
In 1972 an organization formed. Its goal was to protect the windmill. From 1978 to 1982 this group tried to restore the building. But the ground was riddled with old gypsum quarries. This caused the windmill to collapse.
These unstable conditions forced a change of plans. It was decided to rebuild the windmill 140 m away. Work began at the new location in 1986. The new windmill was inaugurated on October 9 1988.
Today the Sempin Windmill is open to the public. A not-for-profit organization manages it. The windmill stands 17 m high. Its sails reach 23 m wide.
So while we stand on Sentier du Sempin in Chelles. Remember that even streets can lead to windmills. They stand as testaments to history and human endeavor. They also remind us that sometimes progress requires rebuilding.