Le Vaudreuil, in the time of kings

Listen up! The Eure was not always so peaceful. Until 1926, the river was navigable. Here, it reaches its greatest flow (around 20 m³/s). Cabotières”, small boats carrying people and goods, used to cross the river. Follow the course of the water towards the lock and the old marinière gate, which regulated the water level for the mills, controlled the passage of boats and collected a toll, particularly on salt.

The hydroelectric plant installed on the lock makes it difficult to identify. A few traces remain: the vertical grooves for the gates and the mooring bollard. To get a better view of the lock-keeper’s house on the island, take a few steps forward and stop before the last lamppost.

The golf course’s coat of arms is reminiscent of those of the châtelains who once passed through the castle gates. It was on “l’île l’Hom”, surrounded by two arms of the Eure, that the various châteaux of Le Vaudreuil were built, in turn princely, ducal and royal residences. Did you know that the young William the Bastard, the future William the Conqueror, narrowly escaped abduction here in Le Vaudreuil, before his archers contributed to his victory at Hasting? His son, Henry Beauclerc, made it a key fortress in the battles between Richard the Lionheart and Philip Augustus. After the annexation of Normandy, the castle became a palace favoured by Saint-Louis, then was embellished under John II the Good. In 1657, Claude Girardin built an elegant château, one of the “three graces of Normandy”, with a garden created by Le Nôtre, where Molière and La Fontaine are said to have stayed. Imagine a majestic 600-metre driveway lined with trees and ponds, of which only two pavilions remain today. The château, built with grandeur, was demolished in 1823, after the château-fort, abandoned since 1713, had fallen victim to the ravages of time. But the estate was not forgotten. In the 20th century, the Marquis de La Haye breathed new life into the site by creating the first golf course in the Eure region.

On the passageway, at no. 7, is the Hôtel-Dieu chapel, attributed to Dagobert I and founded in the 7th century. The Hôtel-Dieu cared for the sick until the French Revolution, but was partially destroyed when the road was widened. Joan of Arc is said to have spent a night here on her way to Rouen.

A dovecote bears witness to the importance of this site, which was once a fiefdom of the Château du Vaudreuil. The central manor house is flanked on the east by a tower and on the west by a dovecote. In the 17th century, Sieur de la Rive laid out a formal garden here, with fruit trees and vines. It has since been remodelled, but the imprint remains. We now move on to a residence with a very different purpose.

This site pays tribute to Edgar Raoul-Duval, mayor of Notre-Dame-du-Vaudreuil and member of parliament for the Eure department. The owner of the château, this enlightened curator was a friend of Flaubert, Maupassant, Dumas and Jules Verne. A statue of him, unveiled in 1890, stood here before being melted down in 1942 by the German occupiers. Only the base remains today. As the Speaker of the House said: “We don’t eulogise such men, we remember them”. Let’s keep his memory alive and move on to the old coaching inn. Perhaps you’ll find a fresh horse for your return journey!

Renamed “Le Carré Saint Cyr” (Saint Cyr Square), this desecrated Romanesque church has been reinvented to house the works of the finest craftspeople from France and beyond. It is part of a unique project, the “village of craftsmen”, accompanied by the “Ateliers Saint-Cyr”, an incubator for creators, dedicated to support and professionalisation. Cross the threshold of this unique place. A showcase of light, it reveals each work in a scenography designed to sublimate the essential. Each exhibition invites you on an emotional journey of surprise, beauty and sharing. And so, at the crossroads of history and creativity, Le Vaudreuil, which has been awarded the “Ville et métiers d’art” label, continues to shine thanks to those who have shaped, protected and embellished it.