The best traffic-free bike rides around Ymeray

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.

The Saint-Léger church of Houx is a religious monument located in the commune of Houx, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. Although its existence is attested, the available sources do not specify either its period of construction or the architectural or historical details associated with it. This type of building, typical of small French towns, often plays a central role in local life, both spiritually and communally. In the Centre-Val de Loire, parish churches like Saint-Léger of Houx were historically essential gathering places for the inhabitants. They served not only for religious services, but also for social or civic events. Their presence generally reflects the medieval or modern organization of the villages, where the church constituted a major geographical and identity landmark.

Located on the pilgrimage route to Chartres, the parish of Orphin was at the borders of the lands of Montfort, the Count of Prunelé, Port-Royal and the Bishopric of Chartres. Surrounded by four fortified houses, the village takes its name "orfin" from the gold of the wheat of the Beauce. The Sainte Monégonde church was erected in the 11th century and established as a parish in the 16th century. The framework bears the date of 1552 and the bells 1556. A polychrome wooden statue from the 17th century, which represents Saint Teresa of Avila, is located near the choir. There is also, on a pillar, a coat of arms depicting the lion of Montfort. A chapel and the bell tower could be earlier than the rest of the building. The large nave could be the result of an extension of the small lateral nave. Indeed, the lateral nave and the central pillars seem older than the other elements of the church. The church suffered a serious fire at the end of the 19th century which destroyed the vault of the large nave and damaged the south wall which were rebuilt. The current stained glass windows were made by Charles Lorin, master glassmaker in Chartres, in 1914. The characters are depicted in the effigy of the donors. The stoup is described as dating from the 16th century but it is probably older. Several paintings from the 17th and 19th centuries adorn the walls of the church. The main altar and the altar of Saint Joseph date from the 1850s.

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.

Saint-Martin Church. This extremely modest church consists of a four-bay nave extended by a three-sided apse to the east and a sacristy to the north. It is built of rubble block, with sandstone buttresses and shell limestone surrounds. Although its history is poorly documented, it is likely that an earlier 16th-century church was enlarged and modified in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Externally, its elevation is punctuated by a short timber-framed bell tower erected in 1889-1890 above the western bay of the nave. The western façade is late: it features an 18th-century arched doorway, with the first level lit by three unequal pointed-arch windows, an addition made in 1820. On the south façade, a stone cornice runs under the roof, while a drip edge stringcourse is located one meter above the ground. Two of the apse windows were blocked during the installation of the great altarpiece. In 1890, when the spire was moved, the first bay of the nave underwent some modifications: the western wall was lined internally with another wall in which three large arches were cut; in the space thus delimited, two chapels were created on the ground floor, on either side of the entrance door, and a small gallery on the first level, while a staircase provided access to the bell tower. The interior of the church was furnished and decorated in the late 18th century. and during the Restoration: the Visitation altarpiece (1815-1820) dates from this period. Some statues, including four wooden evangelists, came from the old tabernacle. Statues of Saint Martin and Saint James were placed in the side niches of the altarpiece. The Sauvegarde de l'Art français (French Art Protection Agency) contributed €30,490 to the roofing work on the building in 2002.

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.

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.