- Claire Dinhut’s family home is a 9th-century water mill, originally built for monks to mill flour and surrounded by flowing rivers
- The historic mill has survived centuries of floods and was recently threatened again during France’s heavy rainfall last year
- Despite the upkeep and challenges, Claire continues to share what life is like living in such a historic home via TikTok
Tucked away in the French countryside, surrounded by flowing streams and stone, Claire Dinhut’s family home looks like something out of a storybook.
But this isn’t just a picturesque old house: it’s a 9th century water mill with thousands of years of history etched into its bones. “My family lives on an old water mill in France,” Claire explains in a viral TikTok video. “These mills date from the year 900.”
For Claire, who grew up between France and the United States, the mill is more than just an ancestry home. “It’s this very magical place,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE. “You literally have water surrounding you.”
“The river splits around the mill, so there are bridges everywhere. I think I grew up just thinking this was normal, but obviously, it’s not,” she continues.
The mill itself was originally a flour mill operated by monks. Its original wooden water wheel still stands, though parts of it were rebuilt in the 19th century. And while the machinery no longer grinds grain, the history continues to turn quietly in the background of everyday life.
Today, the property belongs to Claire’s father, who lives there year-round and manages the mill’s upkeep. “It’s not one of those houses you can just leave,” Claire notes. “It’s like having a living thing — you have to take care of it. There’s always something breaking or flooding.”
That maintenance became especially urgent in 2024, when record rains hit France and much of Europe. For the first time since the 1960s, floodwaters crept into the house.
“Unfortunately, like in most of the world last year, we’ve experienced a lot of flooding,” Claire shares. “Last year was the first time the water got into the house since the early ‘60s.”
It was a reminder of the fragile relationship between the mill and the river that gives it life. “We had to put sandbags at the door and move things upstairs,” Claire remembers. “It’s terrifying because you realize how quickly nature can reclaim what’s hers.”
Despite these challenges, Claire and her family remain deeply connected to the property — not just because of its beauty, but because of the community and traditions rooted there.
“It’s not just a house, it’s like a community hub,” she shares. “My dad is always inviting people over, and there’s always someone fixing something or cooking something.”
One of Claire’s fondest memories is of the unique local traditions tied to the mill and the surrounding area. “In the summertime, one of the things we always did was cook mussels on a log,” she explains.
“It’s an old fisherman’s tradition here,” she continues. “You pile up mussels, set a fire on top, and once the shells open, you throw the top ones off and keep going. It’s very communal.”
Seasonal living is another part of life at the mill. Claire describes how her family’s rhythm was tied to the weather and the water as she grew up. “We’d spend summers here, and then go back to the U.S. for the school year,” she shares. “It felt like living in two worlds.”
The duality is something Claire has embraced online, too. On her popular TikTok account, she shares snippets of mill life, gardening tips and recipes inspired by her French upbringing.
“A lot of people think it’s some kind of fairytale, but it’s a real, gritty kind of fairytale,” Claire laughs. “There’s mud, there’s mold, but there’s also fresh tomatoes from the garden and bread baking in the oven.”
Her passion for French family cooking has even led to a forthcoming book, in which she’ll share family recipes passed down through generations. Ultimately, the mill is more than just a relic of the past, but a living heritage, with each generation adding their own chapter.
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