Best attractions and places to see around Arville include historical sites and religious buildings across two distinct regions in France. Arville in Seine-et-Marne features colorful plains and is situated near the Regional Natural Park of Gâtinais Français, offering natural landscapes. The Arville in Loir-et-Cher, now part of Couëtron-au-Perche, is known for its historical Commanderie d'Arville and picturesque countryside in the Perche region. Both locations provide insights into French history and natural environments.
Last updated: July 1, 2026
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This church contains 14th century wall paintings. These paintings were discovered in 1895. They formerly occupied the entire width of the western wall of the nave. The central part was destroyed following the renovation of the door. The left side represented paradise. Of the bust of Christ, in a trilobed medallion, which occupied the center, there remains only a fragment of the cruciform halo. The rest of the composition is divided into rectangular compartments, each enclosing, in the surviving part, a figure of a crowned chosen one. On the right, hell is represented by a cauldron in which several characters are immersed, including a pope, a bishop, a monk, a king, a queen. Above, a woman with her legs apart. On the right, an enormous horned demon sticks out its tongue. On the left, another carries a basket filled with the damned and is about to plunge a woman into the cauldron. Construction periods: 14th century
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The parish church dedicated to Saint Anne, perhaps more anciently to the Virgin, depended on the diocese of Chartres. This former possession of Ganelon, treasurer of Saint-Martin de Tours in the 11th century, was undoubtedly part of the important donation made by his descendants Eudes and Rahier de Montigny for the benefit of the chapter of Chartres Cathedral around 1160. This Romanesque building, 35 m long, with a single nave and flat apse, reinforced with buttresses and lit by round-arched windows splayed internally and simply chamfered towards the outside, was never vaulted in stone: it is covered with 'a paneled vault. The masonry is entirely made of Grison stone, including the frames, giving an austere appearance specific to this region of Perche. We enter to the west through a semi-circular door with a double arch into the lower room of a bell tower-porch established later inside the original nave. The upper part of this bell tower was pierced with semi-circular bays. The eastern one was obstructed during the installation of the high roof of the nave and the bells were placed above in a belfry under a frame. The interior of the building was in fact covered as a whole by a paneled vault with molded beams and punches from the 16th century. In the 17th century, the entire back of the choir was decorated with a large altarpiece with columns and pilasters, paintings and sculptures, of great decorative effect. A curious set of carpentry from the same period presents above a confessional a paneled pulpit surmounted by a large sounding board. Note in the furniture a carved Gothic canopy from the beginning of the Renaissance and on the glory beam a carved wooden calvary from the same period. The 19th century. added a gallery, repainted the vault and provided the windows with stained glass.
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Around 1240, the Benedictines, who had a priory within the walls of the castle of Mondoubleau, having had to abandon it, settled near Choue. Of the buildings, only the chapel remains. The western gable is pierced with a double archivolt door in third point and projecting cord, chamfered. Above, a bay was flanked by two six-lobed oculi. On the western part of the southern gutter wall, a door gave access to a small room which could have been the lower room of a square tower, perhaps a bell tower. Inside, the walls were plastered.
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This 13th, 15th and 16th century church does not have a transept. It has a central shingled nave with aisles. The choir ends with a polygonal apse. The apse is decorated with glass roofs dating from 1541 representing various scenes from the Passion. These 16th century stained glass windows (bays 1 to 4) have been partially classified as historic monuments since 1908. Bays 1 and 2 were restored in the 17th century thanks to the Bourbon-Conti family, lords of Bazoche-Gouet from 1676 in 1719, the 4 in the 19th century, then in 1974, by Michel Petit, master glassmaker whose workshop is located in Thivars in Eure-et-Loir. Outside the choir, the stained glass windows are from the 19th century, made by two renowned master glassmakers, the Lorin workshops in Chartres and the Carmel stained glass factory in Le Mans, the first in a neo-Romanesque style, the second approaching the neo-Romanesque style. Gothic.
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The robust grison pillars of the church of Chapelle-Guillaume reveal its distant roots in the beautiful country of Perche-Gouët, and even if it is often difficult to fix with precision the date of construction of a church, at least It seems obvious to her that she has been watching over the small village that surrounds her for many centuries – probably not far from ten… It owes her name to Guillaume Gouët. In any case, the last two hundred years have given it many alterations and restorations. Thus the bell tower that a hurricane had brought down was rebuilt in 1827, while the capital which adorned the entrance disappeared a few decades later, serving as a narthex, or more simply as a “caquetoire”. Everything here announces the joy of welcome and the simple peace that a place of prayer requires. The interior is distinguished by the great care taken in maintaining the warm furnishings: painted vault, gallery, benches, paneling, statues and choir woodwork. The altarpiece is illustrated by a pretty painting of the Annunciation. A great harmony emerges from the whole and invites prayer. There was also not far from there near the church a Notre-Dame priory dependent on Marmoutier, where Saint Martin resided.
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Arville offers a rich history with several notable sites. In Seine-et-Marne, you can explore the Église Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul, a historical monument dating back to the 12th century with Romanesque and early Gothic architecture. In Loir-et-Cher, the Commanderie d'Arville, founded by the Knights Templar in the early 12th century, is one of France's best-preserved commanderies, featuring a museum, Templar church, stables, and a medieval garden. Additionally, you can visit the Ruins of Guériteau Chapel, a historical site where Benedictines settled around 1240.
Yes, Arville is home to several significant religious buildings. The Notre-Dame Church of Chapelle-Guillaume is known for its robust grison pillars and warm interior furnishings, including painted vaults and choir woodwork. The Saint Anne Church is a Romanesque building constructed entirely of Grison stone, featuring a 17th-century altarpiece and a carved Gothic canopy. You can also find the Saint Peter's Church, which contains 14th-century wall paintings depicting paradise and hell, and the Saint Fiacre Church with its beautiful Renaissance-style choir entrance and classified stained glass windows.
Near Arville in Seine-et-Marne, you can find yourself amidst 'colorful plains' on a 'vast cultivated plateau' and close to the Regional Natural Park of Gâtinais Français, offering a glimpse into the southern Parisian Basin's natural environment. In Loir-et-Cher, the Commanderie d'Arville features a reconstructed medieval garden with over a hundred plant species. The surrounding 'picturesque countryside' and the Perche region provide ample opportunities for nature lovers, including a botanical path along old ramparts.
The Notre-Dame Church of Chapelle-Guillaume is categorized as family-friendly. Additionally, the Commanderie d'Arville in Loir-et-Cher offers an immersive journey into history with its on-site museum featuring eight scenographic spaces and interactive displays, which can be engaging for families. The reconstructed medieval garden there also provides a pleasant outdoor experience.
The Arville area, particularly in the Perche region, is well-suited for outdoor activities. You can explore the Perche hills by bike, following routes like the 'circuit des Templiers'. For more structured cycling, there are several guides available, including Cycling around Arville, Road Cycling Routes around Arville, and MTB Trails around Arville, offering routes for various skill levels.
Yes, there are numerous cycling routes available near Arville's attractions. For example, you can find routes like the 'Arville Commandery loop' for touring bicycles or the 'Châteaux and Seigneuries of Perche Loop' for road cycling. Mountain biking enthusiasts can explore trails such as the 'Taillefer Waterway loop'. You can find detailed information and maps for these and other routes in the Cycling around Arville, Road Cycling Routes around Arville, and MTB Trails around Arville guides.
The Commanderie d'Arville, located in Loir-et-Cher, is considered one of the best-preserved Knights Templar commanderies in France. It offers an immersive experience into the history of the Templars and the Crusades through its museum with interactive displays. The site includes a 12th-century Templar church, stables, a tithe barn, a dovecote, a bakehouse, and a reconstructed medieval garden, providing a comprehensive look into the daily lives of monastic knights.
Visitors appreciate the rich historical and architectural heritage of the area, particularly the ancient churches and chapel ruins. The serene natural landscapes, such as those near the Regional Natural Park of Gâtinais Français and the picturesque Perche region, are also highly valued. The blend of cultural exploration and opportunities for outdoor activities like cycling makes Arville appealing to many.
While specific seasonal data isn't provided, the presence of natural features like the Regional Natural Park of Gâtinais Français and the medieval garden at the Commanderie d'Arville suggests that spring and summer would be ideal for enjoying the outdoor aspects and picturesque countryside. The historical sites and religious buildings are generally accessible year-round, but pleasant weather enhances the overall experience.
Yes, several churches in Arville boast unique architectural features. The Église Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Seine-et-Marne showcases Romanesque art with a single nave and semi-circular apse, alongside early Gothic elements like ribbed cross vaults. The Saint Anne Church is notable for being constructed entirely of Grison stone, giving it an austere appearance, and features a 17th-century altarpiece. The Notre-Dame Church of Chapelle-Guillaume is characterized by its robust grison pillars and a beautifully maintained interior with painted vaults and choir woodwork.
Grison stone is a local building material, often a type of sandstone, that gives many of the historical structures in the Perche region, including churches like Saint Anne Church and Notre-Dame Church of Chapelle-Guillaume, their distinctive and often austere appearance. It signifies the regional architectural style and the use of locally sourced materials throughout history. The access portal of the Commanderie d'Arville also features Grison stone blocks dating back to the Templar era.


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