The best traffic-free bike rides around Authon-Du-Perche

Mentioned as early as the 13th century as a dependency of the abbey of Saint-Père, near Chartres, the Notre-Dame des Étilleux church comprises three disparate parts, the most surprising of which is the four-level bell tower, topped by a belfry covered in slate and a lanternon. Protestants are said to have held a sermon there in 1577. Since its foundation, the church has undergone many transformations, notably the rather recent decoration of the choir, an intertwining of fair-weather cumulus clouds in stucco that allows one to guess the original stone wall and a pointed arch opening. A beautiful flamboyant door opens to the west onto a parvis renovated in 1995, and the eastern part, on the sacristy side, has retained its row of gargoyles adorning the choir's slopes. This church is renowned for the very beautiful statue it houses: a Virgin and Child whose pronounced hip sway, facial expression, and the drapery of the mantle are characteristic of a 14th-century representation.

The construction of the church of Coudray en Perche dates back to the 12th century, but the 16th century saw its enlargement by the addition of a higher choir with a stone vault. The interior is distinguished by the nave's inverted ship-hull structure with its painted ceiling and four equally painted beautiful beams. Also noteworthy are the stone baptismal fonts with their scaly wooden lid, which bears a sculpted angel's head. All the windows were remodeled as was often the custom in the Renaissance. In the 19th century, a gallery was built for the children of the sisters' school. Above, admire the stained glass window "Let the little children come to me." The opening of the chancel window led to the modification of the main altarpiece, due to the generosity of the Prince of Henin, owner of the Château de Montgraham. The pretty stained glass window, which thus descends into the middle of the altarpiece, relates to the story of the church's patron saint: it is a depiction of Jesus handing the keys to Saint Peter.

Under the Ancien Régime, the lordship of Béthonvilliers, located in Perche Gouët, depended on the lord of Authon. The parish belonged to the diocese of Chartres. The Saint-Martin church is built on a slight elevation, with the cemetery to the north. The very simple building consists of a single nave ending in a semi-circular apse. To the south stand a chapel with an almost square plan and a sacristy that communicates with the choir. The nave probably dates from the 16th century, the apse, rebuilt several times, dates from 1873-1875. The chapel predates the end of the 17th century, and the sacristy dates from the end of the 18th or the beginning of the 19th century; it seems that on the north side there was another chapel whose layout was symmetrical to that of the current sacristy. The west facade is devoid of any ornamentation: it is supported by two buttresses and surmounted by a bell tower, both late; the pointed arch entrance door is also from the 19th century. The north side facade bears the traces of the numerous modifications that took place over three centuries. On the wall of the first bay, we can still see the outline of the old door, arched and molded, opening onto the cemetery. On the choir wall, we can guess the frame of an old blocked-up door that opened onto the vanished chapel. In the upper part of the wall appears the outline of the oculus which was sealed up, when the windows of the new chevet were opened: it has its counterpart to the south, both obliquely illuminating the altar. This north facade is pierced by unequal openings, two of them, in pointed arch, have a tracery that dates from the work of the late 19th century. In the central bay opens a narrower window, undoubtedly old. The openings on the south facade correspond to those on the north facade and seem to be of the same date. The chapel is lit by a round-arched window on the east side. Internally, the nave is covered with paneling, in poor condition. The walls bear old plasterwork which has been covered with several layers of whitewash; traces of polychromy are noted on the intrados of the main arch and in several places in the nave. A Christ in Glory stands at the entrance to the choir. The Sauvegarde de l’Art français granted, for the 2003 financial year, a sum of €7,000 for significant waterproofing work: masonry, carpentry, roofing.

The building's foundations date back to the 12th century, when it was dependent on the abbey of Thiron-Gardais. The interior houses a remarkable set of three Baroque altarpieces from the 17th century (around 1650), recently restored.

This ancient fortified castle dominates the Huisne Valley at 360° with its imposing keep. The building, with its troubled history, has undergone numerous modifications in its architecture and functions. A visit is essential to understand the complexity of its history and to observe the architectural evolutions.

A must-see that overlooks the valley.

Beautiful castle. Unfortunately it was closed.

It is a magnificent castle... Calm!