Attractions and Places To See around Saulnières - Top 20

A “Renaissance” castle entirely made of bricks, where one of the favorites of the court of Henry III, Minister of Finance in exile, and above all an aviation pioneer lived: Hubert Latham landed here in August 1910. Although defenses were present on the site as early as 1383, the construction of the brick castle that we see today by Jean d'O, with its six towers and its chapel, dates back to around 1460. Guided tour of the castle and of the site is available. Adult prices start from 5 euros, the area is open in summer.

The Château d'Escorpain is a 16th century castle which belonged to the famous Firmin-Didot family of printers and publishers. You can admire the elegant facade and the imposing portal of the castle, classified as historical monuments. You can also discover the surrounding countryside, crossed by the Pluche, a tributary of the Avre. You will appreciate the green landscapes and the peaceful atmosphere of this rural village.

a pretty dungeon in a modern style...

Pretty Town Center of Nonancourt...

Buying this castle dating originally from the 15th century, Alfred Firmin-Didot, owner of the printing press at Mesnil-sur-l'Estrée, not far from here, undertook the restoration of the building in 1879. In particular, he had the sheepfold transformed into a library. which hosts the works published at the family printing house. His descendants remained the owners of this estate, which they bring back to life through various activities.

Small town steeped in history which was fortified at the beginning of the 12th century before its neighbor Verneuil s/Avre. Because the Avre valley has long been a disputed border between the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Normandy. Destroyed by the English in 1417, Nonancourt was not rebuilt until 1451. Most of the Saint Martin Church, as well as many half-timbered houses in the town center date from this period. In the 19th century, this town was home to an important textile center with woolen and cotton mills powered by hydraulic power from the river. From this historical past, the town has managed to preserve its town center with its typically Norman appearance and, in addition to the central square, you can discover several old houses as well as the remains of the old ramparts.

Passing by here, you will undoubtedly be taken aback to see this dungeon erected in the heart of the valley in this small, solitary village, in a place that does not seem to make sense, and without any road leading to it. In truth, this dungeon is not historical. It is the work of a man, no doubt a bit of a dreamer, who started building this tower in 1968 from modern materials, breeze blocks and concrete blocks. It took him 50 years to complete this dungeon on his property in order, in his own words, to seek the light. Some images on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYWkNM2UM0o

The Royal Chapel of Saint-Louis was built from 1816 on the site of the former fortress of the Counts of Dreux, whose ramparts can be seen. It was enlarged by King Louis-Philippe, who made it the necropolis of the members of the Orléans family. The recumbent figures of the royal family were commissioned from the greatest names in 19th century sculpture: Millet, Barre, Lenoir, Pradier and Mercié. The Sèvres factory also delivers painted and enamelled stained glass windows inspired by religious or historical compositions in which the greatest artists of the time collaborated, Delacroix, Ingres, Vernet, Flandrin and Larivière. Viollet-le-Duc also designed the Gothic pinnacles framing the representations of the characters. The building is currently undergoing restoration. At the entrance to the monument, panoramic view of the town of Dreux from the ramparts.