Le Moulin du Trel Walnuts in Vézac

History :

The Moulin du Trel dating from the 12th century belonged to the Château de Beynac , it was a “BANAL” mill. Which means that the inhabitants of the lordship of Beynac were obliged to have their grains ground and their nuts crushed at the mill. In return, the Lord of Beynac then took a percentage from the flour and oil.

Passionate about mills, Pascal Vidal was seduced by this mill and wanted to combine his Foie Gras activity with the manufacture of walnut oil.

Upon discovering this mill, Pascal Vidal immediately had the desire and determination to resurrect it from its “ashes”… And it was in 2016 that Pascal and Benjamin Vidal, his son, undertook extensive renovation and renovation work. restoration of the production tool to working condition 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 rebuilt 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, which is 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 powered by the water retained in the reach. This was designed in connection with the Treuil stream, dug into the rock by human hands at a depth of 2.50 m, allowing a sufficient reserve of water to be accumulated to run the mill even in summer.

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

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

MANUFACTURING:

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

In the Moulin du Trel mill, weighing around 800kg, we grind 20 kilos of nuts 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 composed of a basket is equipped with a spout to collect the oil. It allows the extraction of walnut oil: with 20 kilos of kernels, it recovers 10 liters of pure walnut oil. This oil is decanted, and after 3 weeks is bottled, ready to enjoy!!

Following the extraction of the oil, the miller collects the walnut cake in the press which he places in a mill to obtain the walnut flour.

This operation is identical for the manufacture of hazelnut oil.

Manufacturing workshop visit:

Come and meet the mill maker, 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, hearing and seeing the water of the stream which drives the wheel, discovering the millstone and the press with authentic whole walnut kernels ...To witness the manufacturing, he welcomes you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Come and taste Périgord walnut oil at Moulin du Trel located in a bucolic place in Périgord Noir.

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 stylish chickens , as well as our magnificent peacock : perhaps he will do cartwheels when you arrive!