The best traffic-free bike rides around Houdan

Place where Pompidou is buried

The Moulin de Mormoulins is a watermill located on the Eure River in the hamlet of Mormoulins. This mill dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries and is a listed historical monument. You can admire the old stone building, the wooden wheel, and the canal that diverts water from the river as you pass in front of the mill. The mill is surrounded by green fields and trees, creating a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.

Dedicated to Saint Blaise, the church of Havelu is oriented and comprises a single nave. Its construction dates back to the 16th century. The choir, older and narrower than the nave, ends in a three-sided chevet. Constructed of flint blocks, the building is erected on a sandstone base. Two-stepped buttresses rise to the cornice. The western door appears to date from the 19th century, based on a Gothic-inspired model. It consists of a pointed arch with two tori exposed by wide grooves resting on prismatic bases. A lowered arch supports the blind tympanum. A shell is carved on the lintel of the south door, now walled up. A pointed octagonal spire rises from the bell tower. The roof is slate. Inside, the roof structure is exposed and retains the original stencilled decoration on the shingles. The name of the clergyman who commissioned it can still be seen: "M[ai]stre Jehan Menere p[re]b[t]re chaplain of this place." The furnishings of Havelu church are remarkable for their uniform 18th-century decoration. A partition altarpiece is located in the choir. Signed and dated by the artist, Pierre Pilastre (1753), it features, in the center, a painting of the Resurrection, inserted between two fluted pilasters flanked by scrolls with floral and fruit motifs and topped with fire pots. At the ends, each of the two doors is surmounted by a painting, one depicting Saint Blaise, the other Saint Barbara. At the choir entrance, the triumphal arch—by the same craftsman—also survives. A work bench, a confessional, and a lectern from the same period complete this decorative ensemble. In 1998, the Sauvegarde de l'Art Français (French Art Protection Association) granted a donation of 60,000 francs to strengthen the bell tower's framework.

Very beautiful pond

Built at the end of the 12th century by the Counts of Montfort and listed as a Historic Monument since 1889, the Houdan Tower was used to watch for enemies and defend the territory. The Keep consists of a 15 m diameter and 21 m high tower, flanked by four turrets of the same height located at the four cardinal points. From the 16th century until the French Revolution, the Keep served as a prison, and executions took place at the foot of the Tower. The first water reservoir was installed in the tower in 1880. The second, built in 1952, is still visible. Tours are available on certain days.

The streets of the city center have superb medieval houses, the vast majority of which were former inns.

A fine example of a large old horse trough, and a beautiful row of old houses leading up to the church.

Beautiful castle (private).