Fontenay-sur-Eure brings together architectural history and trails through the Eure Valley: the church features several datable structural elements, while mills, ponds and routes offer different discoveries. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between these highlights: would you mainly like to explore architecture, follow a route or discover the protected natural areas?

Church and historic features

The church’s Romanesque choir dates from the 12th century and is listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments. The bell tower dates from the 14th century. The nave and pointed-arch portal are together characteristic of the early 16th century. The church therefore displays several layers of architectural history. If architecture is your main focus, you can explore the choir, tower, nave and portal as features from different periods.

Mills and small monuments

At Pont-Tranchefétu, the entrance porch and interior stone-slab floor of the former Protestant temple have been preserved. The mill there was rebuilt in the 19th century. The Moulin de Guervilliers, also dating from the 19th century, lies between Pont-Tranchefétu and the town centre. Two washhouses visible in the village were built in the 19th century; trails lead to them. A walking path along the banks of the Eure runs from west to east and lets you discover several watermills.

Trails in the Eure Valley and on the plateau

When choosing a trail, you can decide whether you would rather follow a route with a named destination or explore a landscape area. There are footpaths around the ponds of Bois de Clos and Plantations. Numerous hiking and cycling trails cross both the plateau and the Eure Valley. This gives you a choice of routes in both landscapes and for both activities.

The GR de pays Vallée de l’Eure passes through Fontenay-sur-Eure. The GR 655 Ouest also passes through the town and lets you follow the Way of St James from Paris, which continues from Tours along the Via Turonensis. The family circular route “La haute vallée de l’Eure – n°3” starts at the ponds of Fontenay-sur-Eure and leads to the park of Château de Blanville. It follows the Eure and passes several medieval mills. When choosing, you can therefore distinguish between a route with named start and end points, trails through two landscape areas, and a connection to the Way of St James.

Natural areas and their importance

The managed natural areas of Fontenay-sur-Eure lie at the heart of the sensitive natural area in the Eure Valley designated by the Département Eure-et-Loir. Their management protects habitats, flora and fauna. Particular support is given to the Southern Darter, a dragonfly considered critically endangered in the Centre-Val de Loire region, and Lathrée clandestine, a plant species considered very rare in the Département Eure-et-Loir. If you would like to include nature and landscape conservation alongside buildings and trails in your interests, this topic adds a distinct focus to the cultural and route offerings.

For the broader travel overview: Eure-Et-Loir.