The Mighty Percheron

Inseparable from the image of the Perche, the Percheron is one of the oldest breeds of working horses in Europe. The horse’s proud bearing has made it the region’s ambassador, and you won’t want to leave the Perche without caressing at least one of these powerful horses.

In the Middle Ages, nobles from the Perche left to fight in the Crusades in Spain and Jerusalem. They returned with Arabian stallions, that they crossbred with local farm horses. The noble Percheron was born and became the symbol of the region. At the height of its popularity in the 19th century, the Percheron’s fame spread as far as America where over 7,000 were sent to help construct railroads across the West. The 20th century would see the Percheron replaced by machines, and the horse became quite rare, even in its native France. Today, passionate breeders are successfully reintroducing the Percheron into the region. To the delight of tourists and locals alike, Percherons can be seen on farms, at the Manor de Courboyer and at local festivals like Percheval, a medieval festival held every year in Nogent-le-Rotrou (on the Ascension holiday weekend).

For more information on Percheval