Aqueduc et Moulins de Barbegal (Barbegal Aqueduct and Mills), Arles

The Barbegal Aqueduct and Mills is an extraordinary archaeological site, often described as the most impressive concentration of mechanical power from the ancient world. This ingenious complex once used the force of flowing water to grind grain into flour, standing as a remarkable example of Roman technological skill.

Constructed in the early 2nd century AD, the Barbegal installation ingeniously diverted water from the aqueducts of the Alpilles to power a massive flour milling operation. Two aqueduct branches converged just north of the site and, through a carefully controlled sluice system, fed the water to a cascade of 16 overshot water wheels arranged in two parallel rows of eight, descending steeply along the hillside. The downward flow transferred power sequentially, driving the millstones with impressive efficiency.

Estimates suggest that the mills could produce approximately 4.5 tons of flour per day, enough to feed between 12,000 and perhaps up to 40,000 inhabitants of ancient Arles. Today, the site stands as an evocative ruin, where the remains of water channels, foundational masonry, and a stone staircase-once enabling mill operators to ascend the slope-still endure in the Provencal landscape.