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Origin and history

The castle of Fréteval, built in the 11th century by Nivelon I, the senechal of the Count of Blois, stands on the ruins of a Carolingian village. This castle of marches, located on the border of the Blois and Angelian influences, was a strategic issue during the conflicts between Plantagenets and Capetians. It housed a circular dungeon in flint, among the oldest in France, surrounded by three defence lines. The fortress monitored the Chartres-Vendôme and Orléans-Le Mans axes, playing a key role in regional tensions.

In 1170, the castle hosted the meeting between Thomas Becket and Henry II of England. In 1194 he was the stage of the battle of Fréteval between Richard Cœur de Lion and Philippe Auguste, where he lost the royal seals. During the Hundred Years' War, the fortifications were strengthened, but the castle suffered two English assaults in 1418. Abandoned around 1487, he then served as a stone quarry, reducing his remains to their present state.

Since 1968, excavations and preservation operations have been undertaken to preserve the ruins, including the dungeon that has been listed as historical monuments since 1926. The site, owned by the family of La Rochefoucauld, preserves remarkable elements such as the bas-relief of the Lady with serpent and the traces of a 14th century bread oven. Archaeologists compare its architecture to that of Châteauneuf-sur-Epte, stressing its importance in the study of medieval dungeons.

The castle also illustrates the seigneurial organization of the time: its administrative seat was located in Meslay-le-Vidame, near Chartres, reflecting the division of local authorities. The present, though partial, remains offer a rare testimony of military techniques and daily life between the 11th and 15th centuries in the Loir Valley.

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