By foot, on horseback or on your tractor, take the A25 between Dunkerque and Lille,
leave at exit 13... turn towards Steenvoorde / Cassel direction...
Not far from there, you'll soon cross the Eecke road. There, turn left and look on your right side
to see the mill: here you are on the Steenmeulen site where Jeff and his wife invite you to go into the country life and to the world of nice mechanical engineering passion.

Millers from father to children for 5 generations, his parents wanted him to follow "studies", that's why, with a mechanical diploma, Joseph Markey made a carreer in the engineering industry. Foreman in town, he always kept four wings turning deep in his heart and a bit of floor dust in his hair.

With a real passion for handwork wich he could'nt practice in his professional life, he used all his leisure time in what he called "big potter jobs". That was the time when he made water weels, repaired the wings of the family's mill and worked on a "vintage" Lancia that looks now just as brand new.

And then, what to do !?? That's a question for him, but quickly he found an old steam machine in a very poor state. He became fascinated by the beauty and the cleverness of the thing. 3 years later, the steam whistle blows again ! That was the starter signal for a new run that increased when the time for retirement came. Joseph cames then into a 35 hours working time every 2 days !

Since, from tractors to haversters and other machines, he repairs, rebuilt, or try to remake the missing parts and make the all stuff at work again. He also take care of the old family mill that is now the only fully operational "stone mill" in europe.

Time runing, quite a lot of other people sharing the passion of old machines as well as objects and many witness of the past life, joined Joseph in his quest.

Their pleasure is now to share with the visitors those treasures of skillness and the respect for the intelligence of conception.

If you say to him that he's got "gold in is hands", Jeff explains (adjusting his cap in the right place) that he always think about the people who had the idea and found out how to make those machines work .
And, it's because of the deep respect he has for them that he feels
obliged to share this enthusiasm with you !

And, that, i can tell you, he is very good at it !

The Steenmeulen's friends team will take you inside the wooden heart (art) that brings life to the mill.

During exhibitions and specials days (see further down for contacts),
specialists will be there to explain you how to...

Always following the seasons comes the harvesters time...
You will see the way it used to be done, the pleasure and the heart that
the people can put in it retreiving nowadays what their parents lived.

From April to October, you will be welcome to the STEENMEULEN place (as well as school hollidays period) every day except friday and every last sunday of the month from 9 to 12 am and 14 to 18 pm. You can also call any time in the year on previous appointment.

10 Avril: Dans le cadre du festival "Musique au Musée"
Concert de 14h30 à ...

13 Juin : Journée patrimoine du pays
Tout le site en activité avec machines tournantes Exposition de tracteurs anciens

19-20 Juin : journée des moulins du Nord Pas de Calais

14 Juillet et 15 Août: Ballades en attelage au rythme lent des sabots
Renseignements réservation: 03.28.48.11.18 18 & 19 Septembre: Journées du patrimoine Tout le site en activité avec machines tournantes

NB: the acces to the site is free on “les journées moulin”
and “patrimoine”. Guided tour are at the same prices as usual.

When it append to start...	It's great to be on an old tractor !
There is no age to appreciate...	Playing farmer for a few moments dont only pleases kids !