Time Stands Still at the Mill

A colour photograph showing the south side of the Légaré mill. We can see the dike, the stone mill and the sawmill, which is connected perpendicularly.

The Légaré mill, 1975

You leave your parents and watch all the people passing by. They are walking in small groups along rue Saint-Eustache. They greet each other, ask how the kids are doing, stop to listen to a performer or have a bite to eat. Once they get to one end of the street, they turn around and do it all over again. It’s a warm, friendly atmosphere. Suddenly, you recognize a man walking past you – he looks like someone you’ve seen in the paper.

A photograph, edited to look like a comic strip, of Sylvain H. Boileau leaning on a low wall to look at a brochure.

Sylvain H. Boileau, photographer for the local newspapers, 1977

The crowd at the Fêtes by Sylvain H. Boileau. Listen to the audio excerpt in French, the written transcription is available in English.

Is he a politician? The head of a local company? You can’t quite place him. Clearly, though, the Fêtes du Vieux Saint-Eustache is an event where one goes to see and be seen.

Feeling a little dazed, you go into the next building you come to, the Légaré mill. As you walk through the door, you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. The water-powered flour mill has been operating since 1762, and the Légaré family has owned it since 1907. You are welcomed by three members of the family: Donat, Philippe and Lucille. You are quickly won over by their simplicity and kindness. You were just planning to duck in for a minute or two, but you end up staying and listening to them talk about their mill and their flours.

The photo shows the western side of the mill and has been taken from the water level. Donat and Philippe Légaré are standing at the top of the stairs leading to the water gate.

Donat and Philippe Légaré at the mill, 1975

The farmers visit the Légaré mill by Donat Légaré. Listen to the audio excerpt in French, the written transcription is available in English.

Today, it’s not only the farmers who come to have their grain milled. The whole community comes to buy flour.

The Légaré’s specialties and the future of the mill. Watch the video in French, the written transcription is available in English.

The three Légarés are happy to receive visitors. In the heart of the village, the mill has always been a meeting place. Lucille, Donat and Philippe hope it will continue to be a lively place and that its history, along with that of other historic buildings in the village, will be passed on to future generations. They are thrilled that since 1976, they have had the support of a committee of citizens: the Corporation du Moulin Légaré.

As you leave the mill, you are given a recipe book put together especially for the Fêtes, containing not only the recipe for the famous buckwheat pancakes but also an intriguing recipe for dandelion wine.

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