The best road cycling routes around Billancelles

A walk that is doable even in rainy and cool weather thanks to its cycle paths

Of Romanesque origin, the church, surrounded by a cemetery, has a curious bell tower supported by machicolations and uprights of sandstone, making it one of the most unique in the region. Perhaps it was originally a bell gable, later augmented by a platform supported by these machicolations? In front of the entrance, a small building called a "caquetoire" (a small meeting place) allows the faithful to gather and converse. Inside the church, the furnishings date from the 18th and 19th centuries: a marble high altar and its gray-painted wooden altarpiece (18th century) – a painted wooden altarpiece of St. Joseph (late 18th or early 19th century) an altarpiece for the altar of the Virgin Mary (19th century) a baptismal font in red-veined marble (19th century) a waxed wooden pew (18th century) a waxed wooden choir stall upholstered in velvet paintings: the Assumption of the Virgin Mary by Octave Hauser (1839) and the Annunciation (18th century) The stained-glass windows date from 1874. The church and the eclipse A bit of history: The parish, established in the 13th century, was part of the deanery of Courville. The church's patron saint, Luperche or Luperchius, gave his name to the village. We must go back to the 4th century to find the first trace of this saint: At that time, Dacius, governor of the part of Spain that included Catalonia, Aragon, and the Kingdom of Valencia, was one of the most cruel ministers of persecution. Incited by the emperors Diocletian and Maximilian, he had eighteen confessors of Jesus Christ executed in the city of Zaragoza. In their honor, the poet Prudentius wrote hymns, and among these confessors, a certain martyr named Luperche became the patron saint of our church.

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Every year, during the Heritage Days, the association "Au Cœur de Nos Villages" opens the doors of the Saint-Pierre church. A building from the 12th and 15th centuries, listed as a historical monument, whose bell tower, clock, and five renovated altarpieces, including Saint Michael slaying the dragon, are to be discovered. For the benefit of the Restos du Cœur Walkers will also be able to get to know the Atelier Arc-en-ciel (plastic arts) which exhibits the works of the adult group. Paintings, in red chalk, white pencil, sepia, etc., representing views of the church, statues, etc., will be put on sale for the benefit of the association Au Cœur de Nos Villages.

Its construction undoubtedly dates back to the Romanesque period but as it appears today it presents the characteristics of the Gothic style flamboyant period in which it was rebuilt after the destruction caused by the 100 Years' War. The date of March 23, 1511 inscribed on the entrance which surmounts the entrance to the choir gives a valuable clue to the period of its renovation. Another testimony is the coat of arms of Charles d’Ô Seigneur de Blévy and partly by Louise Gentil married in 1507 appearing on a stained glass window in the choir. The style of the tower porch, slopes of the gable of the nave and tracery of the windows clearly shows that we are in the presence of a building constructed in the first quarter of the 16th century at the twilight of the flamboyant Gothic style.

This country church stands out for its pretty little water pump on the side, as well as its cemetery where we find the grave of a Canadian aviator who died during the Second World War.

The village has a Gothic style church. The latter is approximately 32 m long and 8.5 m wide. The church was renovated a few years ago and the eastern facade has recently been lit at night. According to the departmental archives of Eure-et-Loir, the general council granted a credit of 30,000 francs in 1851, in order to have “MM. the department's travel agents the nomenclature of churches, presbyteries and other municipal buildings, briefly containing their description, their condition, the indication and approximate evaluation of the work to be done and their degree of urgency.

Composed of a Romanesque nave with flat buttresses placed symmetrically on each side (typical of the end of the 11th century or the first half of the 12th century), it was completely remodeled in the 16th century and the end of the 20th century. The bays of the nave are from the 15th century, in flamboyant Gothic style, as is the rose window. The span of the bell tower and the choir, with ribbed vaults, date from the end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century. As early as the 16th century, the bell tower had a clock, quite rare and expensive for the time. The pillars of the central bay are richly molded and crowned with thin bands of foliage serving as capitals. The windows are decorated with flamboyant tracery of varied designs. The Romanesque portal was also remodeled in the 16th century. The powerful central bell tower with buttresses [formerly had three bells named PIC DAN JON. There will only be one left after the Revolution, the other two having been melted down to make cannons and ammunition.