Eure-et-Loir stretches across the Beauce plateau, France’s breadbasket, and the hills of the Perche, nestled between vast grain-growing plains and lush wooded countryside. This dual geographical character is reflected in its castle heritage: classic-style castles on the plains, bearing witness to a prosperous landed aristocracy, and Perche manor houses clinging to wooded hillsides, the legacy of a provincial nobility deeply attached to its lands.
Chartres, whose Gothic cathedral dominates the entire Beauce region, is the spiritual and historical heart of the department. But it is in the surrounding countryside that the architectural treasures of Eure-et-Loir are to be found: the Château d’Anet, a masterpiece by the architect Philibert de l’Orme built for Diane de Poitiers, favourite of Henry II, stands as one of the major landmarks of the French Renaissance. The Château de Maintenon, whose grounds are criss-crossed by the ruins of Louis XIV’s unfinished aqueduct, tells the story of Françoise d’Aubigné, the future Madame de Maintenon and morganatic wife of the Sun King.
With its cultural attractions, French gardens and charming accommodation, Eure-et-Loir invites you on a journey through French history, from the Wars of Religion to the Court of Versailles.