The best traffic-free bike rides around Champseru

Very nice route, 3/4 of which is in the forest. The few roads used are very quiet. The advantage of this route, if you like, is that it can easily be transformed into a mountain bike route. Just look to the right or left of the cycle path and there is a single track. Have a good trip to all those who wish to take it.

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.

Before 528, the village of Saint-Prest was called Saint-Jean-sur-Eure. At that time, the Bishop of Chartres, Ethère, had a building built adjoining the southern flank of the parish church, including a "martyrium" to house the remains of holy martyrs (the legend of Saint-Prest), which were placed in ten sarcophagi. The most honored relics were those of a certain Priscus; following numerous miracles, the parish took the name of Saint-Prest. The current church's crypt is the apse of the 9th-century Carolingian church, which replaced a 6th-century sanctuary. Access to the 12th-century nave, on the west side, is through a beautiful Romanesque portal, carved from beautiful limestone, surmounted by a triple saw-tooth archivolt and framed by two small columns with capitals. On the right, a face would be that of Eve, and on the left would appear the tempting serpent.

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.

The church, located in the heart of the village, is originally a Romanesque building composed of a nave from the 11th and 12th centuries, ending with a cul-de-four apse in blocking and pierced by three Romanesque bays with splays. Today, the central bay is hidden. An imposing western massif precedes the nave, it has been modified over the centuries, in particular in the second half of the 18th century, and it has a squat bell tower. The entire tower is treated in local limestone as well as the buttresses, the frame of the portal and the bays. The church was enlarged at the beginning of the 16th century by the addition of a chapel to the south and by the addition, a little later in the century, of an aisle. Its dimensions are approximately 30 m long and 18 m wide. The facade is very sober; It is pierced by a door with a broken profile whose external arch is highlighted by a dripstone. An oculus was opened in the upper part of the gable wall. The church underwent major work between 1880 and 1925 approximately. In 1879-1880, the sacristy was completely redone, then in 1912 the entire roof was redone in slate with the exception of the apse. The interior porch is the most carefully designed element of this architecture. The semicircular portal, giving direct access to the nave, is enhanced by a molded torus with a diamond point pattern falling on small columns. This porch is covered with a ribbed vault which falls on the four corner columns with foliate capitals. The nave and aisle are covered with a paneled framework which suffers from disorders. The vaults of the choir and the apse were restored over the centuries and their stained glass windows were made during a campaign between 1919 and 1924. The chapel of the Virgin and the corbels were decorated with paint at the end of the 19th century. The altar and the canopy of the Virgin are in the neo-Gothic style. Two notable elements of the old statuary remain: a quality statue of the Virgin, probably from the 16th or 17th century and a small Saint Vincent of local manufacture. The condition of the framework and the roof of the choir required work, as did all the timbers which had to be treated. To this end, the Sauvegarde de l’Art français made a contribution of €5,000 in 2011.

The Saint-Germain de Morancez church could date from the 10th century. Its cut stone facade is punctuated by four buttresses framing a portal. This is composed of three concentric arches resting on engaged columns, decorated with capitals. The zigzag decoration of the arches confirms a dating before the 12th century. The occulus surmounting the porch illuminates a semi-circular vaulted nave. This was enlarged with an aisle built much later and where there is an altar dedicated to the Virgin. The furniture remains simple but not without interest with its benches enclosed in painted wood. However, it is worth mentioning a sculpted pulpit from the 18th century. In 1707, the prior-parish priest of Morancez was Nicolas Courvoisier, religious of the Saint-Jean-en-Vallée abbey. A poet, he is notably the author of a Latin ode addressed to the people of Chartres on the death of Paul de Godet des Marais1. He died on May 14, 1742 in Morancez and was buried in the church. (his tombstone remains to be identified.) Although Morancez was a modest parish, in 1851 it benefited from a prestigious gift from Jérôme Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I, governor of Les Invalides, then in residence at the Château de Gourdez. He offered the church a painting, Moses makes water flow from the rock, painted by Giovanni Francesco Romanelli between 1657 and 1660. This Italian artist had been called to decorate the cabinet called "At the water's edge" of the apartment of Queen Anne of Austria at the Louvre. He created a decor, now dismembered, composed of a set of six paintings devoted to the story of Moses, including the work, classified as a Historic Monument, preserved in our church. Another interesting work which could be attributed to the school of Philippe de Champaigne represents Jesus among the doctors. These two paintings benefited from a restoration in 1998

King Francis I died there. In 1804, Napoleon took possession of a castle in poor condition due to the Revolution. He had important work done there. When the monarchy was restored in 1815, Louis XVIII reinvested the castle and undertook some work. More than half of the Presidents of the Republic have stayed there. A true haven of peace, the place is ideal for combining family life and high-level diplomatic meetings, in a relaxed style.

Worth a detour. Cycling inside the parc is permitted. For the castle check the opening hours and beware of the typical French lunch breaks, even on weekends.