Paray-Douaville: History and Heritage

Ancient roads, ecclesiastical ties and buildings from various centuries have shaped the history of Paray-Douaville. The Boucle d’Allainville hiking route also passes through the municipality. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Paray-Douaville, you can consider local history and hiking as different priorities when planning your trip.

Agriculture and historic transport routes

Agricultural land covers the rest of the municipal area. The ancient Chaussée Jules César crosses Paray-Douaville; it connected Lutèce with Cenebum, now Orléans. A much later transport link is the railway line: between 1876 and 1914, it fostered economic development in the northern part of the municipal area. The ancient road and the railway thus represent different historical roles played by transport routes: a connection between Lutèce and Cenebum, and the later promotion of economic development in the north.

Building history: château, factory and cemetery cross

The central section of the Château de Douaville dates from the 18th century; two wings were added at the end of the 19th century. These dates distinguish the older central section from the wings added later. In the hamlet of Le Petit Orme, the sugar factory for the Compagnie La Sucrerie de Paray was built in 1876. A former distillery, a shed and the sugar factory director’s house are located in Paray-Douaville. The cemetery cross is octagonal, meaning eight-sided, and dates from the 12th century. It was damaged during the Revolution and rebuilt between 1853 and 1858. The cross’s original construction and later restoration therefore represent two different building phases.

Local ecclesiastical history

According to Abbé Gauthier, Paray-Douaville became a parish in 850, during the reign of Charles the Bald. A church in Paray-Douaville was dependent on Clairefontaine Abbey from the 15th century until 1791. These two accounts refer to different points in time: the parish’s establishment in 850 and the end of its dependence in 1791.

Saint-Pierre and cemetery features

The parish church of Saint-Pierre is located at 26b rue de Barthélémy. The painting “Saint Louis après la bataille de Damiette” (“Saint Louis after the Battle of Damietta”), dating from the 19th century, is on the south wall of the last bay of the nave. A bay is a section of the nave; this precise description locates the painting in a specific part of the interior. A holy water stoup is associated with the parish church of Saint-Pierre in the cemetery. The tomb of Marie Henriette de Barthélémy bears the Barthélémy family coat of arms and is designed in the Neo-Gothic style. The tomb of Eléonore Guenon is that of the parish priest of Paray-Douaville, who died in 1892; it is signed “Gasnot à Auneau”.

Hiking the Boucle d’Allainville

The Boucle d’Allainville hiking route passes through Paray-Douaville and follows an old Roman road that connected Paris with Orléans. If you would like to include a hike in your plans as well as visits to the buildings, the route offers a specific option. You can therefore choose between two different priorities: local history explored through buildings and tombs, or a hiking route with historical connections.

Discover more destinations: Perdreauville, Orgeval, Blaru, Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, Chambourcy, Les Bréviaires, Noisy-Le-Roi, Gambais

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