entreprise-familiale-depuis-160-ans

Le Moulin de la Veyssière kept its authenticity through the years

The mill is almost a thousand years old: its origins date back to the 13th century! This is the last water powered mill of the Vern Valley whereas there use to be 31 water mills in this region in the 18th century. Le Moulin de la Veyssière is definitely storied in history.

A family history

  • 12th Century

    Lord of Frateau orders the construction of the first mill in La Veyssière. It is powered by a stream called the Vern.

  • 1562

    Date engraved on the former oil press, proof of the anteriority of the building.

  • 1729

    First official bill of state: the descendants of the Grimoard  family are selling the property to Nadal Bleynie.

  • April 15th, 1857

    Jacques ELIAS, miller in Sourzac, buys le Moulin de la Veyssière.

  • 1901

    Jean and Léon, sons of Jacques, start a new activity: they are now making bread in addition to flour. The bakery is located in a building next to the mill.

  • 1933

    Paul ELIAS, Léon’ son, open a mill to produce flours exclusively destined to its bakery.

  • 1939

    Paul is sent off to war and is taken prisoner in 1940. He will spend all the war in Germany. Louise, his wife, is running the mill while he is away. Walnut oil is then booming due to war restrictions.

  • 1947

    After four long years spent in Germany, Paul and Louise ELIAS open a bakery in Neuvic, in which they are selling the bread made in the mill. Then, in 1951, Paul builds a mill to produce flour continuously. This same year, his son Jean-Jacques makes the decision to stay and work with his parents at the mill.

  • 1968

    They close the bakery located in the mill to sell bread only in Neuvic.

  • December 21st, 1971

    They stop once and for all the flour activity of the mill. Thanks to the seed mill, they kept producing flour for animals until 1995.

  • 1984

    Paul is now 83 years old and can’t continue working in the mill. His son Jean-Jacques then decides to take after his father and to perpetuate the oil making tradition of the ELIAS family. Every winter, from December to March, he produces oil for all the people coming to the mill.

  • Since 2012

    Against all odds, Christine, Jean-Jacques and Jeanine’s daughter, decides to join the adventure in 2012. She is helping her father and perpetuates the oil making know-how of the family which is 4 centuries old.

An ancestral know-how

Since 1857, we make walnut and hazelnut oil in the great Périgord tradition and with an ancestral know-how.

1 . Crushing

The first step of the fabrication process is to crush the walnut and hazelnut fruits with a 500-kilo flint wheel.

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2 . Cooking

Once the fruits are crushed, the paste is then slowly heated in a cast iron pan: at 80 degrees for about an hour. The cook releases the full aroma of the fruits and gives a long shelf life to the oil while conserving its nutritional properties. This is the most determinant step of the production as it will give the oil its toasted walnut taste.

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3 . Extraction

Once perfectly cooked, the paste is put into the press and wrapped in a canvas called “scourtin”. This canvas is designed to filter the oil while resisting to heat and pressure.

Under a 40-ton pressure, the oil will flow and the paste block left in the press is called “tourteau”.

The oil is then left to settle for 2 to 3 weeks and finally bottled with no additives or preservatives.

Our values

  • Artisanal Manufacture

    Since 1857, we make walnut and hazelnut oil in the great tradition and with an ancestral know-how. The grinder, the cast iron pan, the oil press and all the tools used to make the oil are period. The mill is powered by water.

  • Traditional Périgord’s making

    We make walnut and hazelnut oil in the great Périgord tradition: raw materials are crushed by a flint wheel, the paste is then slowly cooked and gives all its character to the oil, and then it is pressed and bottled after 3 to 4 weeks.

  • High-quality welcoming services

    Driven by our passion, we make a priority to share our heritage and know-how. We welcome you at Le Moulin de la Veyssière, all year long, and propose free guided tours to embark you on the travel of walnut and hazelnut oil.

  • High-quality fruits from local producers

    Even more than the know-how, sectioning high-quality fruits is crucial to make good oil. We have created community relations with local producers for many years now.