In Senonches, extensive forest trails meet a fortified church, a historic château and a market held throughout the year. To plan your visit, it helps to decide what you want to focus on first: would you like to spend time in the state forest, discover the town’s history, or add fishing and seasonal leisure activities to your trip?
State forest and walking trails
The Senonches state forest covers 4,283.38 hectares and is criss-crossed by ten marked circular trails. They range in length from 4.6 to 42.3 kilometres. This wide range makes it easier to choose a route that suits the distance you want to cover during your day. Before setting out on a walk, also check local notices.
The Sentier de l’Orée du bois offers a shorter option: this 600-metre trail was created by the ONF and is accessible to all visitors. Ten themed stops, with playful and informative signs, also make the trail an introduction to forest-related topics. There is a car park and a picnic area along the route.
The Château de Senonches also explores the theme of the forest. It offers a family-friendly, interactive and educational visit focused on the forest ecosystem and the distinctive features of the state forest. Check opening arrangements before travelling. This makes it easy to plan a château visit as part of a stay focused on nature and learning about the forest.
The château, the church and a digital tour
The château was built by Hugues II in the early 12th century. It was erected on the site of a castle that had previously been completely destroyed. This historical context adds a glimpse into the building’s long history to a visit today, while keeping the forest-related focus of the château’s offering in view.
The Église Notre-Dame de Senonches tells another chapter of the town’s history. The fortified church was incorporated into the town’s defensive system. Those interested in the connection between religious architecture and urban defence will find a distinct historical point of interest here. A digital tour also invites you to discover 15 notable buildings in the town, allowing you to include more architectural themes in your exploration.
The market, seasonal leisure and fishing
The traditional market, typical of the Perche, is held every Friday morning from 08:00 to 13:00 throughout the year. Stalls include cheese, meat and charcuterie, fish, poultry, pastries, and fruit and vegetables from traders and market gardeners. If you plan to visit the market, check the date before travelling.
A seasonal leisure offering is also available in summer. Organised by the Communauté de Communes des Forêts du Perche, the leisure centre has been based at the Senonches football stadium since 2021 and operates temporarily each summer. Activities and facilities include inflatable play structures, pedal go-karts, laser rifle shooting, oversized board games, table football, table tennis, badminton, a trampoline and Mölkky. The programme may vary from one season to the next.
You can fish at Lac Arthur Rémy throughout the year, either in the traditional way or from a belly boat. The lake is classified as Category 2 and carries the “Parcours Famille” label. Check the applicable rules before fishing. This lets you include the activity as a distinct part of your travel plans.
Plan your journey by bus
Senonches is served by RÉMI bus routes 10 towards Chartres and 25 towards Dreux. If you plan to use the bus to get there or travel locally, check the timetables before setting off. You can then arrange the town’s different attractions—forest, architecture, market and leisure—around the connections available and your personal interests.
Discover more destinations: Montigny-le-Gannelon, Saint-Jean-de-Rebervilliers, Yèvres, Baudreville, Fessanvilliers-Mattanvilliers, Happonvilliers, La Loupe, Luisant.
For the broader travel overview: Eure-Et-Loir.
