Oinville-Sous-Auneau: Church, Mill and Voise Valley

Local Character and History

Oinville-Sous-Auneau combines a medieval church in the village centre with other traces of its history and a landscape of plains and valleys. The Moulin de Lonceux represents the tradition of watermills and preserves its historic machinery, which is associated with the early days of industrialisation. A 15th-century portal from the former château can still be seen. These features offer different perspectives on the village: religious history, technological development and landscape.

Saint-Rémi Church

The medieval church of Saint-Rémi stands in the village centre. It contains the graves of the lords of Oinville, who were buried there in the 13th century. The church also preserves two exceptionally rare tombstones belonging to lords from Cherville and their successors. The burial places and tombstones connect the church with different family ties and periods in the village’s history.

In the past, Saint-Rémi Church was a pilgrimage site honouring Saint Leonard for children with speech difficulties. This former pilgrimage adds another religious role to the church’s architectural and burial history. Saint-Rémi is therefore notable not only for its medieval building, but also for historic forms of religious practice.

Mill and Château History

The Moulin de Lonceux is an old watermill built sometime between the 18th and 19th centuries. Its historic machinery has been preserved and is associated with the early days of industrialisation. The mill’s history thus encompasses both the construction of the building and its connection to early industrial technology. Unlike Saint-Rémi Church, its focus is on mill construction and machinery rather than religious and burial history.

A beautiful 15th-century portal from the former château can still be seen. The château was seized in 1792, sold as national property and demolished in 1799. The portal and the end of the château mark different periods in its history: the portal points to its construction, while the events of the late 18th century led to its eventual dissolution.

Landscape and Getting There

The commune encompasses both plains and valleys and slopes down towards the Voise Valley. The Moulin de Lonceux was built in a valley of the Voise in the Beauce, within the commune. This places the landscape and the mill’s history in a specific local context: the commune includes both plains and valleys, and the mill is explicitly situated in the Voise Valley.

Palm Sunday is a special occasion in the commune and a day for sharing and socialising among residents. Alongside the historic buildings, it is a community event in the local calendar. If you plan to time your trip around it, check the specific dates and arrangements, as these may vary from year to year.

Bus route 15A passes through Oinville-Sous-Auneau and connects Le Gué-de-Longroi with Chartres. It provides a useful transport connection for planning your journey. Check the timetable for your travel date before setting off, as timetables and service patterns may change.

To decide whether Oinville-Sous-Auneau is right for your trip, its highlights are easy to distinguish: Saint-Rémi represents the village’s religious history, the Moulin de Lonceux its mill technology, and the plains and Voise Valley shape the surrounding landscape.

Discover more destinations: Cloyes-Sur-Le-Loir, Chateaudun, Brou, Illiers-Combray, Le Tronchet, Saint-Lubin-de-la-Haye, Chapelle-Guillaume, Baudreville.

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