The best traffic-free bike rides around Chambois

On the eastern edge of the Pays d'Ouche, between Breteuil-sur-Iton and Verneuil-sur-Avre, the village of Dame-Marie has been home to at least one building dedicated to the Virgin Mary since the 11th century. While certain elements such as the lower half of the south façade or the baptismal font are reminiscent of a 13th/14th century building, the building was almost completely rebuilt in the 16th century, after the ruins caused by the Hundred Years' War. The following were then created: raised stone buttresses, single or double-mullioned windows with flamboyant tracery pierced to the south of the nave, bays with banded arches and semicircular arches. Finally, the essential contribution was the addition of a seigneurial chapel of Saint-Sébastien to the north of the nave. After numerous alterations in 1955 and more recently, it now presents a general state of disrepair. The village of Dame-Marie merged in 2016 with those of Saint-Ouen d'Attez and Saint-Nicolas d'Attez, to form the commune of Sainte-Marie d'Attez, which has fewer than 600 inhabitants. Two of the three churches listed as Historic Monuments required major restoration work. The commune began with the emergency of the one in Saint-Ouen which was threatened with closure. It is now the one in Dame-Marie which requires major restoration. We are attached to our three churches, they bear witness to our past, help us to pass them on to future generations!

The building is oriented. The church is built according to an elongated plan with a semicircular apse chevet. There is a porch at the front of the nave and it adjoins another building. Access to the church is via a porch made of half-timbering. A wooden door is placed on the south side of this porch. The gable wall on which this porch is placed is devoid of decoration. The south drip wall is pierced with two small semicircular bays. The drip walls are decorated with a checkerboard frieze. The semicircular chevet to the east is slightly narrower and lower than the nave. It has three semicircular bays. Finally, on the ridge of the roof is placed on the west side a bell tower. This square-based bell tower is opened with a few louvered openings. Finally, a domed octagonal spire rises above the square base. The roof of the porch and the nave has two inclined planes. The chevet is covered with a hipped roof.

Small park perfect for a break

If you are interested in ancient history and megalithic monuments, you can visit the Dolmen de la Pierre Courcoulée, a stone tomb dating from the Neolithic period. You can admire the impressive puddingstone slab that covers the dolmen, measuring more than 4 meters long and weighing about 10 tons. The slab rests on four pillars of the same material, forming a chamber which was probably used for funerary rituals. The dolmen is one of the oldest and best preserved in Normandy, it has been listed as a historical monument since 1889. The Pierre Courcoulée Dolmen is a privileged place to get some fresh air and discover the local heritage.

The Grotte de Gaudreville is a natural cave and geological wonder that was formed by the erosion of limestone by water over millions of years. The cave has several rooms and galleries, adorned with stalactites, stalagmites, columns and calcite curtains. The cave is also home to various species of bats, spiders and insects. You can visit the cave by booking a guided tour with the Association Spéléologique de l'Eure, which regularly organizes excursions to the site.

The town of Goms is rather pretty, too bad it is populated by inbreds

This site now houses an agricultural high school. No matter which road you take to get there, it will be pleasant and surrounded by nature. Ideal for taking an invigorating break. Castle built in the 17th century by the Count of Louviers, perhaps from older elements. The outbuildings (outbuildings, stables, chapel) date from the 18th century: the large stables were built in 1736, the chapel was remodeled in 1771. The dwelling was extensively remodeled in the 19th century; at the start of the 20th century, the architect Lisch restored and enlarged it by adding a square pavilion to the northeast. The regular garden visible on the 18th century plan later became an irregular garden. In the 17th century, the poet Madame Deshoulières (1637-1694) stayed there. Successive owners include the Grimouville family, the Hanivel family, the Clermont-Tonnerres, the Marquise de Kerkoent, the Marquise de Tourzel, governess to the children of Louis XVI, the Duchess of Lorges, the Cro family.

Nowadays, the Sec Iton plays an important role as a limiter during flood episodes, due to its ability to store surface water underground. Added to this are many legends linked, among other things, to its partly aerial and partly underground journey.