Chalou-Moulineux: Churches, Mills and Ponds

Chalou-Moulineux brings together sacred architectural history and the history of its ponds and mills. You can explore a range of themes: the architecture of the Church of Saint-Aignan and Sainte-Apolline, religious traditions surrounding the Fontaine Sainte-Apolline, and the landscape around the Étang et vestiges de l'Église Saint-Thomas-de-Cantorbéry. Taken together, these themes span medieval buildings, religious tradition and the use of water.

The Church of Saint-Aignan and Religious Tradition

The Church of Saint-Aignan and Sainte-Apolline dates from the 12th century. Its portal has a depressed pointed arch, and its bell tower is square and three storeys high. These features give the building a distinctive architectural profile. The church was consecrated in 1228 and remained a place of worship until 1793. During the Revolution, it was sold as national property and subsequently partly destroyed. Its consecration and later destruction thus mark clearly distinct phases in its history.

The nave contains a carved and painted wooden statuette of Saint Aignan. It probably dates from the 15th or 16th century. This single work of art adds its own, later historical context to the church’s architectural history.

Religious tradition is also reflected at the Fontaine Sainte-Apolline. Pilgrimages there date back to a much earlier period. Saint Apollonia is invoked against toothache because of her martyrdom. Alongside the church’s architectural history, the local tradition also encompasses a pilgrimage and the veneration of the saint.

Ponds, Mills and the History of Moulineux

At the Étang et vestiges de l'Église Saint-Thomas-de-Cantorbéry site, two ponds created by the Templars were formed during the construction of a dam. The remains of the Church of Saint-Thomas-de-Cantorbéry, consecrated in 1228, lie beside the pond and are still visible. Check access before your visit, as conditions on site may change.

Between 1185 and 1311, the Templars had mills built in Moulineux and operated them. The smaller of the two ponds supplied water to two mills; the connection between the pond and the mills explains the name Moulineux. The history of the water is closely linked to that of the village, adding another way to understand the landscape alongside the visible church ruins.

A new building for the Moulin de Moulineux was erected in 1488. It marks a later phase in the history of the mills. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Moulineux estate comprised a château, a pond and a mill; it belonged to Monsieur Joubert, a Parisian music publisher. Its use changed over time: the estate was first converted into a shoe-dyeing works and then into a power station to light the property. This development traces the shift from medieval milling to later commercial use.

The Source of the Chalouette and the Route to Moulineux

The source of the Chalouette lies below the village, at the end of the tree-lined Voie des Hospitaliers. The round trip from the source to Moulineux is about two kilometres; the route is flat and shaded. As trail conditions may change, check them before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Breuillet, Les Ulis, Saint-Pierre-Du-Perray, Varennes-Jarcy, Quincy-Sous-Sénart, Corbeil-Essonnes, Vayres-sur-Essonne, Brières-Les-Scelles.

View the broader travel guide: Essonne.