Scholars have remarked upon and studied the phenomenally rapid economic growth of the Cistercian movement for centuries, but there is currently no consensus about the impetus behind this growth. Discussions about the construction, donation, and use of mills has often appeared in works discussing Cistercian economy, but was milling the catalyst for Cistercian economic success or simply a consequence of that success? While it is generally accepted that elaborate hydraulic systems were originally incorporated into the design of new Cistercian abbeys to meet the self-sufficiency requirements detailed by the Summa carta caritatis, their presence coincided with a period of unprecedented economic growth for the order. Using Clairvaux as a model, Cistercians propagated and developed this technology throughout Europe; however, it remains unclear whether they used water power differently from other orders during this time period, or in such a way as to give them an advantage in terms of rate of economic growth. In an effort to answer these questions, I will focus on the development and usage of fulling and forge mills in France in the 12th and 13th centuries. This study will help to clarify the role that industrial mills played in the tremendous success of the order.