Moulis-en-Médoc (French pronunciation: [mulis ɑ̃ medɔk], literally Moulis in Médoc; Occitan: Molís de Medòc) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.

Moulis-en-Médoc
The church in Moulis-en-Médoc
The church in Moulis-en-Médoc
Location of Moulis-en-Médoc
Map
Moulis-en-Médoc is located in France
Moulis-en-Médoc
Moulis-en-Médoc
Moulis-en-Médoc is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Moulis-en-Médoc
Moulis-en-Médoc
Coordinates: 45°03′37″N 0°46′09″W / 45.0603°N 0.7692°W / 45.0603; -0.7692
CountryFrance
RegionNouvelle-Aquitaine
DepartmentGironde
ArrondissementLesparre-Médoc
CantonLe Sud-Médoc
IntercommunalityMédullienne
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Christian Lagarde[1]
Area
1
20.56 km2 (7.94 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
1,908
 • Density93/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
33297 /33480
Elevation6–42 m (20–138 ft)
(avg. 21 m or 69 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

edit

The village is situated in the Médoc on a hill, overhanging the Tiquetorte stream, which flows into the Gironde estuary.

Districts: Le Bourg, Bouqueyran, Grand-Poujeaux...

History

edit

Vineyards have been cultivated in Moulis at least as far back as Roman times, as three Gallo-Roman establishments have already been discovered. The grape variety biturica is from this era, an ancestor of the cabernet variety. The term "biture" meaning "booze-up", relating to "ivresse" or "intoxication" comes from this variety of grape.

During the Middle Ages, the Médoc was the granary of Bordeaux. This is demonstrated by the presence of numerous mills to grind the grain. It is from the term "Moulin" that Moulis takes its name: "Moulinis". The vineyards of the era belonged to some feudal proprietors and a religious community which the Roman Church controlled.

In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in Haut Médoc, the vine was planted inside rather than at the edge of the estuary to avoid detrimental effects caused by humidity from the river and fog, which can decay and decimate[clarification needed] the vineyards.[citation needed]

The vineyards developed quickly in the eighteenth century. The quality of the land was not left unaffected by merchants from Bordeaux, who had made their fortune in the business of islands and invested in Moulis.

The French Revolution did not help the vineyard, but it recovered quickly, reaching its peak at the end of the nineteenth century with an area of 1,500 hectares, before being decimated[clarification needed] by the Phylloxera aphid.

Population

edit
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 972—    
1975 1,016+0.63%
1982 1,208+2.50%
1990 1,326+1.17%
1999 1,366+0.33%
2007 1,655+2.43%
2012 1,802+1.72%
2017 1,830+0.31%
Source: INSEE[3]

Administration

edit

Moulis-en-Médoc is a commune in the wine-producing area of Médoc. The commune produces wine with a great reputation which benefits from the appellation of Moulis, one of the six communal appellations of the Haut-Médoc vineyards. While not forgetting the classification in 1855 - the best properties of the appellation - such as Château Chasse-Spleen, the Château Poujeaux, the Château Brillette, the Châteaux Antonix, the Château of Dutruch Grand Poujeaux, the Granins Grand Poujeaux Château, the Maucaillou Château, the Biston Brillette Château or even the Moulin à Vent Château, have all made a name amongst the biggest wines of Médoc, notably thanks to the classification of the Crus Bourgeois.

Sights

edit
  • The Church of Saint-Saturnin. It stands on an early Christian site and is a beautiful example of Romanesque art. This church was named for the first time in 1268 in Recognitiones feodorum in Aquitania, a set of administrative texts for the Duke of Aquitaine, then the King of England..
    It is dedicated to the Saint Saturnin, the first bishop of Toulouse, who died a martyr around the year 250
  • Archaeological excavations have found sarcophagi dating from the early Christian ages, which are evidence of early Christian settlements in the South West of France.
  • The Maucaillou Château is home to a museum of wine and vineyard art and artefacts.

The only heir of the castle, Darko Moulis, lives in Croatia.[citation needed]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
edit