The Hotel

In the 1830’s the Mill was specializing in the colouring of canvas and cottons, the Mill soon came to the attention of the Royale household as a supplier. Eugenie De Montijo, The Empress of France and wife of Napoleon III, took such an interest in the work that the Mill was producing that she further restored the Mill in the late 1840’s to expand colouring and textile production for the Royal Palace’s located in Compiegne and Fontainebleau. The colour Empress Blue was given her namesake to reflect her passion for colour, and her obsession towards experimenting with Chiffons, Lace and Silks from Lyon.

The Empress became renowned as a fashion icon of her time, working with couturiers designing Royal fashions of the Court. Today the Empress is credited as the creator of the Eugenie Hat and also the Spanish Bolero Jacket. The Eugenie hat became a fashion favourite in the 1930’s by the likes of Greta Gabo and today’s version, the modern millinery fascinator, remains a Royal favourite must have. Her passion with fitted gowns with heavily embroidered tops, heavy laces and silk overlays, saw the Empress often followed by the paparazzi of the day. Her overlay crop jackets with embellished designs became very popular across Europe, and no where more than her home Country of Spain where the jacket further evolved into the Spanish Bolero.

With the end of the French Empire, the Mill fell into disrepair and eventually was abandoned. In the 1960’s the Mill was purchased by a Russian philanthropist who removed the large central wheels of the Mill, redirected the streams to their locations of today, and installed 4 levels into the now Master Residence of the estate.

The logo of the Moulin Royale was created by the current owners of the Estate to embody both the property and the family heritage. The blue of the logo directly links to the colour Empress Blue and the original patron of the Mill Empress Eugenie. The Crest and Red Stag Deer pays homage to Napoleon III and Chateau De Pierrefonds. Deer are a very common sighting throughout the area and also in the forest of the Mill. Capturing the owners heritage, the waving scrolls are the flags of the Forbes Clan and the Crown represents the Royal Crown of Jordan.