Houx brings together waterway engineering history, a chapel, mills and preserved parts of historic farmsteads. If you are looking for a cultural focus for your trip, you can explore the different traces separately: the Canal de Gallardon runs through a large part of the commune, while lock remains and individual buildings offer concrete insights into local history.
Canal and lock at the Moulin de Houx
Across a large part of the commune, the Canal de Gallardon, also called the Canal Louis XIV, follows the route of an older canal built in the Middle Ages. The two names refer to the same canal; the older canal is its predecessor. At Houx, two periods therefore sit side by side: the history of the present-day canal and that of the medieval waterway whose route it follows.
One of the five or six locks on the Canal de Gallardon was located at the Moulin de Houx. A partly filled-in excavation and surviving limestone wall remains still indicate its location. The canal’s route provides the broader landscape context, while the lock anchors the history of waterway engineering to a named place. If you are interested in historic engineering, this distinction offers a useful perspective: here, the story is not only about the canal’s route, but also about the structural traces associated with a lock.
Chapel, mills and historic farmsteads
The Chapelle Saint-Mamert dates from the 11th century and was founded by Benedictine monks from the Priory of Saint-Thomas d’Epernon. It is in the part of the hamlet of Saint-Mamert that belongs to the commune of Houx. Both details help put it in context: the chapel’s great age and its location within a hamlet whose boundaries do not entirely correspond to those of Houx.
The mills, too, tell different stories. The former windmill at Houx is now a ruin. It was a tower mill; its roof could be turned to align the mechanism with the wind. A seigneurial bann mill in Houx dates back at least to the 14th century. Most of this mill’s buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The history of the mills thus encompasses different periods and types of construction, without conflating the windmill with the bann mill.
At La Bergerie, the residential building and the large grain barn with its through-passage gate are still standing. The surviving parts of the seigneurial farm include a wing with a dwelling and sheds, an adjoining large granary with the oldest surviving foundation remains, and the bakehouse. The dwelling, granary and bakehouse illustrate the different uses of the surviving buildings, without relying on any one structure to represent them all.
The church in Houx was fully restored in 2008 and 2009. The bell tower was reconstructed, a clad barrel vault was installed, and thermally formed art-glass windows were fitted. These restoration details offer a concrete insight into the work carried out on the church, from reconstructing a prominent feature to finishing the vault and windows.
Plan your autumn visit and journey
The C.P.C.F. still holds a flea market in Houx each autumn; exact dates vary. If the market suits your visit, check the date before travelling. A tradition tied to a different point in the year dates back further: a patronal festival continued until the 1950s and traditionally marked the end of the harvest on 30 August.
Houx can be reached by train via Maintenon station, which is close to the town centre. Check the latest train services for your travel date. If you are looking for a holiday rental for a visit to Houx, you can first consider whether the history of waterway engineering and architecture matches your interests, and whether travelling by train via Maintenon suits your plans. This lets you choose where to stay based on specific interests and your intended route.
Discover more destinations: Montigny-sur-Avre, Dangeau, Thiron Gardais, Champagne, Faverolles, Courtalain, Fontenay-sur-Eure, Saint-Maixme-Hauterive
For the regional travel overview: Eure-Et-Loir.
