Le Moulin du Trel

History :

The Moulin du Trel dating from the 12th century belonged to the Château de Beynac and was a "BANAL" mill. This means that the inhabitants of the seigneury of Beynac had an obligation to have their grains ground and their nuts crushed at the Moulin. In return, the Lord of Beynac then took a percentage of the flour and oil.

Passionate about mills, Pascal Vidal was seduced by this mill and wanted to combine his foie gras activity with the production of walnut oil.

By discovering this mill, Pascal Vidal immediately had the desire and the determination to make it reborn from its "ashes"... And it was in 2016 that Pascal and Benjamin Vidal his son therefore undertook extensive renovation and renovation work. restoration of functioning of the production tool thanks to the intervention of specialized companies.

Everything has been rebuilt in the authentic spirit for the proper functioning of the whole, using hydraulic power : wheel, gear, grinding wheel, press, heater. The bed of the old mill which supplied water to the wheel has been completely redone in stone.

As soon as the tool was in working order, it came back to "life" !

Presentation of the Moulin du Trel :

Le Moulin du Trel is located in a magnificent environment in the town of Vézac in the Périgord Noir near Sarlat-la-Canéda. Thanks to the Vidal family, this mill, part of our heritage, is once again in operation in the purest tradition.

The mill finds its energy for the production of extra virgin walnut oil thanks to a hydraulic wheel fed by the water retained in the reach. This was designed in conjunction with the Treuil stream, dug in the rock by human hands at 2.50 m deep, allowing enough water to be accumulated to keep the mill running even in summer.

The Moulin du Trel auger wheel with a diameter of 4.5m and a weight of 4 tonnes, constitutes the motor of the Moulin, driving the mechanism for manufacturing. It uses clean and renewable energy: water from the Treuil stream.

At the mill, we offer free tasting of our oil.
In a green setting, you can stroll and discover our animals

MANUFACTURING :

• Nut oil
• Nuts oil
• Truffled olive oil
• Walnut flour

At the Moulin du Trel, we make : walnut oil, hazelnut oil, truffled olive oil and walnut flour.

In the Meule du Moulin du Trel, which weighs around 800kg, we crush 20 kilos of walnuts and obtain a paste. This paste is then heated in a pan, then placed in the Press where the walnut oil is extracted.

The Press consisting of a basket is equipped with a nozzle to collect the oil. It allows the extraction of walnut oil : with 20 kilos of kernels, we recover 10 liters of pure walnut oil. This oil is decanted, and after 3 weeks is bottled, ready to taste !!

After extracting the oil, the miller collects the walnut cake from the press and places it in a mill to obtain the walnut flour.

This operation is identical for the manufacture of hazelnut oil.

Visit of the manufacturing workshop :

Come and meet the mill, he will show you around the Workshop for free, he will show you his manufacturing methods, a whole range of know-how !

Enjoy the setting : the scents of walnut oil, hear and see the water of the stream which drives the wheel, discover the millstone and the press with the authentic whole walnut kernels... To assist in the production, he welcomes you Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Come and taste the Périgord walnut oil at the Moulin du Trel located in a bucolic area of ​​the Périgord Noir.

We are open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Our animals :

The Moulin du Trel has its companions : Marco, Fanny and Oscars, our donkeys, our racy hens, as well as our magnificent peacock : perhaps it will do the wheel when you arrive !

Read the report of the Guide du Périgord at the Moulin du Trel, to learn all about this old mill from the Middle Ages and the manufacture of precious and delicious walnut oil!