The Seine whispers secrets. It murmurs tales of industry and war. It speaks of the Quai du Moulin de Cage.
Here on this quai the story unfolds. The Quai du Moulin de Cage in Gennevilliers and Villeneuve-la-Garenne runs alongside the Seine. It faces the Quai de l’Aéroplane on Île Saint-Denis. The name itself hints at a rich past. It refers to the Moulin de Cage a cage mill. This mill first appeared in records in 1518. Émile Zola even mentioned it in his novel Thérèse Raquin. The name Cage might come from the old Celtic word cai or caie meaning dike.
The mill played a crucial role in the area’s history. It was a watermill built on pilings. It stood on the Île du Châtelier now part of Île Saint-Denis. It blocked a small branch of the Seine opposite Gennevilliers. The mill stopped operating in 1856. But its legacy persisted.
The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought destruction. The French army felled trees on both islands to protect Paris. They destroyed the Saint-Ouen bridge. They burned the Moulin de Cage to the ground. This act was a tragic chapter in the quai’s history.
A shell from the infamous Grosse Bertha exploded at number 43 Quai du Moulin de Cage during World War I. This event occurred on August 7 1918. The impact of this event is still felt today.
In 1949 the quai’s industrial character strengthened. A pasta factory called the Usine des Pâtes Bertrand opened. Later it became the Semoulerie de Bellevue Coop. This factory part of the Panzani group still stands today. Its buildings on Avenue Louis-Roche are listed in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage. The buildings stand as a symbol of resilience. They are a testament to the area’s industrial past.
The Quai du Moulin de Cage thus bears witness to centuries. It whispers stories of mills and wars of industry and resilience. It stands as a silent observer of the ebb and flow of history. The Quai du Moulin de Cage a quiet reminder of Paris’s multifaceted past. A journey along its banks is a journey through time.