Montireau offers a range of reasons to stay: the Église Saint-Barthélémy is a testament to architectural history and art, while a long-distance hiking trail and two cycling routes pass through the village. When planning your trip, you can focus on culture or consider hiking and cycling. Details about the church, protected area and routes help distinguish these interests.

Church and architectural history

The Église Saint-Barthélémy was built in the first half of the 16th century. Its wall paintings date from several periods: those in the apse and side chapels date back to the 16th and 17th centuries, while the paintings in the choir date from the 19th century. The church therefore brings together different periods of interior decoration, rather than a single, uniform period of origin.

The large windows also showcase an architectural detail: they are designed in the Flamboyant Gothic style and still have leaded glazing. The furnishings also include two carved-stone tomb altars from the 16th century. The church itself was classified as a historic monument by decree on 9 July 1980; the two tomb altars were classified as protected objects on 4 February 1928. If you would like to visit the church, it is best to check its accessibility before your visit.

Natural setting and routes

Montireau is part of the 522-hectare Natura 2000 site “Arc forestier du Perche d’Eure-et-Loir”. This area refers to the entire protected site. Its habitats include alluvial forests of black alder and common ash. Public access may vary depending on the property.

The marked GR®35 long-distance hiking trail passes through Montireau and is 69.9 kilometres long in total. Its GR trail markings are white and red. When planning, it is important to distinguish the trail’s total length from the section that passes through Montireau: 69.9 kilometres describes the long-distance trail as a whole.

Two cycling routes also pass through Montireau, but differ in type and length. The “Par monts et par vaux” mountain biking loop is 38.8 kilometres long and passes through wooded areas on some sections. The 31-kilometre “Perruchet et ses migrateurs – Boucle vélo n°4” cycling loop starts in La Loupe; La Loupe railway station is listed as a nearby station for the route. The cycling loop is signposted with green-and-white signs and a yellow marker bearing the number 4. Check the route conditions before setting off and check the markings on site.

Around Étang de Perruchet, with a little luck, you may spot greylag geese or great egrets during the bird migration season. Because sightings depend on the season and are not guaranteed, this nature-watching opportunity is a possible addition, not a fixed part of the itinerary.

To choose between the routes, first consider the route type: the GR®35 is a long-distance hiking trail, “Par monts et par vaux” is a mountain biking loop, and “Perruchet et ses migrateurs” is a cycling loop. First decide whether you want to hike or cycle, then compare the length of each route. This makes it easier to plan the focus of your stay without treating the three options as equivalent local loops.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Morainville, Dreux, Le Coudray, Maisons, Coudray-au-Perche, Oinville-Sous-Auneau, Frazé, Denonville.

For the regional travel overview: Eure-Et-Loir.