Moulin de la Galette

TheMoulin de la Galette(French pronunciation:[mulɛ̃dəlaɡalɛt]) is awindmilland associated businesses situated near the top of the district ofMontmartrein Paris. Since the 17th century the windmill has been known for more than just its milling capabilities. Nineteenth-century owners and millers, the Debray family, made a brown breadgalette, which became popular and was adopted as the name of the windmill and its businesses, which have included a famousguinguetteand restaurant. In the 19th century, Le Moulin de la Galette represented diversion for Parisians seeking entertainment, a glass of wine and bread made from flour ground by the windmill. Artists such asRenoir,van Gogh,Ramón CasasandPissarrohave immortalized Le Moulin de la Galette, probably the most famous example being Renoir's festive painting,Bal du moulin de la Galette.
The windmill Moulin de la Galette, also known asBlute-fin, was built in 1622.The name Blute-fin comes from the French verbbluterwhich means sifting flour for the separation from bran.
The Debray family acquired the two mills in 1809 for producing flour, the Blute-fin and the Radet, built in 1717. But it was also used to pressurize the harvest or grind materials needed for manufacturing.
An association Friends of Old Montmartre saved it from destruction in 1915. In 1924, its owner moved the windmill to the corner of Girardon andLepicstreets. It was restored in 1978, but is not running. The windmill has been classified as amonumentsince 1958.
At the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814, during the siege of Paris three Debray men lost their lives defending the windmill againstCossacks; the miller was killed and nailed to the wings of the windmill.
During theFranco-Prussian WarMontmartre was attacked by 20,000 Prussian soldiers. During the siege, Pierre-Charles Debray was killed and nailed to the wings of the windmill.A mass grave for those killed during the siege was made just steps away from the Moulin de la Galette.
The mill was turned into aguinguetteby the surviving son of the miller killed during the siege of Paris in 1814.
The current name Moulin de la Galette is based upongalette, a small brown bread that the Debray millers, who owned the mill in the 19th century, made and sold with a glass of milk. The tasty bread became so popular that it later became the name of the windmill.In 1830, they replaced milk with wine (especially the local Montmartre wine) and the windmill became a cabaret.Parisians made their way to Montmartre to enjoy "the simple pleasures" of the countryside with a glass of wine, freshly baked bread and a terrace view of Paris and the Seine below. In 1833, one of the Debrays decided to open an area for dancing, dedicated to the Greek museTerpsichore. His flair for dancing and enthusiasm attracted patrons to the dancing hall and it became a success.
AuthorÉmile Zolawrote in 1876, "We rushed off into the countryside to celebrate the joy of not having to listen to any more talk about politics," which often meant reflection of France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. Montmartre, attainable by a train ride or a one-hour walk, was still a village with orchards, shops and two remaining windmills.
As the nearby fields were replaced with housing and factories, Nicholas Charles Debray sought commercial opportunities to remain a going concern. One of the windmills was turned into a viewing tower and a dance hall was opened adjacently. People came to the relaxed, popular Moulin de la Galette for entertainment and dancing.
Over its history, the building has experienced a wide range of uses: open-air cafe, music-hall, television studios and restaurant. It is now a private property. The windmill Radet, however, marks the entrance to a bistro named Le Moulin de la Galette.
The area has been depicted by artists such asPierre-Auguste Renoir,Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec,Vincent van Gogh,Pablo Picasso,Ramon Casas,Paul François Quinsac,Kees van DongenandMaurice Utrillo.
Media related toMoulin de la Galetteat Wikimedia Commons
48°53′14.63″N2°20′13.36″E﻿ / ﻿48.8873972°N 2.3370444°E﻿ /48.8873972; 2.3370444