The scenic roads of the Perche

The rolling, shaded routes of the Perche provide the perfect setting for a drive in the country. Along the way, you see distinctive manor homes, abbeys and perfectly preserved fortified farms.

The manors of the Perche were usually fortified and several retain their moats and drawbridges. Also particular to the region is the pale, almost yellow color of the facades. The color comes from the local sand used in the mortar. Homes are decorated with family crests, modest sculptures as well as having protective towers.

Throughout the Perche, a system of directional signage marking the "Routes Tranquilles du Perche" assures that you won't miss a single historic site or hidden valley.

Take an audio-guided tour (works with MP3 players and cell phones) of the Perche, in English, with Allovisit Perche

From Nogent-le-Rotrou to Thiron Gardais

Starting in the town of Nogent-le-Rotrou historic stronghold of the Counts of the Perche, follow the marked, winding route through some of the region's most picturesque landscapes.

You'll drive through the valleys of the rivers Cloche, Rône and the Berthe, up to the highest point in the Eure et Loir, la butte de Rougemont (285m alt.).

From here a detour to Vichères to see the Manorière, a typical Perche manor, once belonging to a lord, and onto the Royale Abbey at Thiron-Gardais, known for its medieval gardens.

For more information on Nogent-le-Rotrou

For more information on Thiron-Gardais

From La Loupe to the farms of the Perche

Leaving from La Loupe, a town on the border between the Beauce and the Perche, follow the signs that take you along the river Eure past the area's many fortified farms.

For more information on the La Loupe

North from Senonches to the Ferté-Vidame

Leave the town of Senonches and head through the vast forest, home to deer and wild boar, to the ruins of the chateau at Ferté-Vidame.

An impressive and beautiful site, La Ferté-Vidame is also a lovely village and its park makes a good place to stop for a picnic or simply to stretch yours legs.

Not far away is the ancient church at Réveillon, with its naïf wall murals - definitely worth a visit.

For more information on the Ferté-Vidame

For more information on Senonches

South from Brou to the chateaus of Perche-Gouet

This route goes from the town of Brou, with it's medieval town center, to the area known as the Perche-Gouet.

It was once an assembly of fiefdoms (the family Gouet was the most important) of which several chateaus still exist.

The route takes you past these chateaus, as well as manors and farm buildings and houses made of "pans de bois," a local technique of creating a lattice-work of timber supports then filling the space in-between with mortar.

Wood was less expensive as the region was once covered in forests.

For more information of the Château de Frazé