The best traffic-free bike rides around Orsonville

The church of Bleury, dedicated to Saint Martin, probably dates from the end of the Middle Ages. It was remodeled and enlarged in the 16th century by the addition of a large chapel on the north side. The nave ends with a semicircular apse. The chapel to the north is extended by a square bell tower which once opened onto the nave through an arch that is now blocked but still visible. The chapel opens onto the nave through two pointed arches made of recently rendered clotted stone. It communicated with the ground floor of the courtyard through an arch that is now closed. Another filled-in arch appears on the wall between the chapel and the lower room of the courtyard. The church is covered with a paneled roof. A single beam is sculpted, the penultimate one on the west side. It supported, with the beam resting on the facade wall, a recently demolished gallery. Some of the nave's semi-circular windows are late, and the pointed arch openings have Gothic tracery. The square bell tower has a saddleback roof. It is pierced with pointed arch openings. Access to the building is from the south, under a modern porch that houses a portal surmounted by a shield with three fleurs-de-lis. A stone cornice runs under the roof to the south, supported by unsculpted modillions. Two 18th-century altarpieces were included in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments on June 17, 1975. 16th-century wall paintings depict the Mass of Saint Gregory. They were discovered in 1881 and classified as Historic Monuments on November 17, 1908. Their preservation is currently threatened by infiltration due to the poor condition of the roof structure. The Sauvegarde de l’Art Français provided aid of 75,000 F in 1994, thus contributing to the repairs undertaken to restore the framework, which will allow the walls to be cleaned up.

According to tradition, the church choir covers the remains of an older building, possibly dating back to the 6th century, which was built to house the saint's body. According to current knowledge, the commune of Saint-Piat (Sanctus Piatus in Latin) officially appeared in 1087, mentioned in a charter of the Nottonville Priory (Eure-et-Loir), on which it depended. The current building was rebuilt during the time of Francis I, as suggested by the date 1535 engraved on two buttresses of the apse and the date 1542 engraved on a piece of wood from the vault. This is according to a study by the SAEL (Eure-et-Loir Archaeological Society). The three-sided apses, the dripstone towers (horizontal members projecting from a wall), and the sculpted roof structures are a testament to the importance of the reconstructions carried out in the department during the 16th century. The church of Saint-Piat is one of them. While the church has not been officially recognized, it nevertheless contains objects that have attracted attention both for their antiquity and quality, but not always for good reason. Their artistic value, far from attracting only religious or aesthetic interest, has also aroused a covetousness that, unfortunately, remains for some of them. Fortunately, those still in place are carefully cared for and offer the curious a story to discover, a beauty to slowly ponder as they progress toward the choir.

Many centuries ago, our ancestors discovered the possibility of harnessing the power of the elements—which, while helpful and useful on the one hand, could also be a threat as untamed forces of nature—for various purposes, thus eliminating the need for human or animal muscle power. Mills like these are a good example of the human engineering skills of earlier generations: The heavy millstones used to grind grain or press oil, for example, could be powered by wind or—as in this case—water.

Don't be surprised if you spot flamingos 🦩 on the banks of the pond. They're still there, despite the park being closed for many years.

Nice building... A very pleasant second home, some would say.

Bench, greenery, river and shade for a bite to eat or a break.

Magnificent building with 365 windows! Le Nôtre School

Pretty little stone shelter with statue of the Virgin Mary.