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Origin and history

The Ferme du Rouvray, located in Maillebois in the Centre-Val de Loire region, has its origin in an old Gallo-Roman villa, as evidenced by its characteristic trapezoidal ditches. Around 960, the site was a medieval fortress, surrounded by large ditches once filled with water and covered with walls. This castle played a defensive role during the Hundred Years' War, with an enclosure still partially visible today.

The current buildings date mainly from the seventeenth century, when the former fortress was transformed into a farm. Only one of the original towers remains, but the foundations of other defensive structures, such as mâchicoulis and scauguettes, remain visible. The name "Rouvray" comes from the Gallois robur (honey reopens), a species formerly abundant in the region and linked to Druidic rituals.

The Ferme du Rouuvray was listed in the Historical Monuments in 1963 for its remarkable elements: the fortified gate with its stone access bridge, the facades of the main buildings, the moats, and the ruins of the tower. These remains illustrate the evolution of a military farm site, typical of the Perch. The bedside of the old chapel, now integrated with the farm, also attests to its past importance.

The site is part of a territory marked by seigneurial history, especially that of the families of Courseulles and Desmarets, who owned neighbouring lands such as the castle of Maillebois. The transformation of the fortress into a farm reflects the economic and social changes in the region after the Middle Ages, where defensive structures lost their usefulness to agricultural activities.

The fortified gate, the most preserved element, features a square building accessible by a stone bridge that replaced an old drawbridge. The low-brick arched porch, topped by a steep passage, gives access to the inner courtyard. These architectural details, combined with the moat and remains of the tower, offer a rare testimony of the fortified farms of Thymerais.

Today, the Ferme du Rouvray is a protected rural heritage, illustrating both the Gallo-Roman, medieval and classical heritage of Maillebois. Its inscription among the seven historical monuments of the municipality underlines its importance in the architectural and historical landscape of Eure-et-Loir.

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