The 130-hectare Plan d’eau de Mézières-Écluzelles gives your stay a clear connection to the water. In Mézières-en-Drouais, the Église Saint-Martin and the Temple protestant de Marsauceux add religious buildings with distinct histories. Nature watching and nautical activities sit alongside art, architectural history and religious heritage. When choosing what to focus on, it makes a difference whether you are especially interested in the lake and its wildlife or in historic buildings and their history.
Water, water sports and birdwatching
The body of water covers 130 hectares and extends partly across the communes of Écluzelles and Mézières-en-Drouais. It is therefore shared between the two communes. An observation shelter has been set up at the Plan d’eau, in front of one of France’s few permanent grey heron colonies. From there, you can watch the birds without disturbing them. The special value of this place lies in combining focused observation with consideration for the colony: here, the birdlife takes centre stage.
The sailing school at the Plan d’eau makes nautical activities accessible to a wide audience and provides professional supervision. This offers a different focus from the observation shelter: here, the emphasis is on guided activities on the water. Paddleboarding is part of the offer at the Base nautique de l'Agglo du Pays de Dreux; availability may change. So check before your visit whether this activity is offered on your dates.
Religious buildings and their history
The Église Saint-Martin was classified in its entirety as a Monument historique by decree of 4 March 2013. It may date from the early 12th century. On the back of the west portal is a painted depiction that is thought to show a danse macabre and may date from around 1500. The church thus brings together an early, cautiously dated building history and a much later pictorial motif; both the interpretation and the dating of the painting remain uncertain.
The Temple protestant de Marsauceux was built in 1821 in the hamlet of Marsauceux, in Mézières-en-Drouais. The Reformed parish associated with it had already been founded in 1562; the two dates mark different milestones: the history of the parish and the construction of the temple. At the end of 2022, the building was listed in its entirety as a Monument historique. The listing also includes the adjacent plot of the former Huguenot cemetery. Three aspects should be distinguished when placing it in its historical context: the founding of the parish, the construction of the temple, and its later listing together with the cemetery plot.
Direct sales from the farm
Products are sold directly from the farm in Mézières-en-Drouais. Individual producers may change, so check in advance which sales outlets are available at the time of your visit. For travellers who like to include shopping in their plans, direct sales offer a tangible local connection alongside the cultural and nature-related attractions.
Discover more destinations: Le Mesnil-Simon, Faverolles, Le Coudray, Champrond-en-Gâtine, Maisons, Épernon, La Puisaye and Senonches.
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