Obelisk of the eighteenth century à Louvilliers-en-Drouais dans l'Eure-et-Loir

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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The 18th century obelisk of Louvilliers-en-Drouais is a small monument erected to define the administrative boundaries between the generalities of Paris and Alençon. Built during the reign of Louis XV, it is part of the modernization of the French road network. Its structure consists of a rectangular base surmounted by a stone pyramid, once crowned with a carved fleur de lilies, now extinct.

According to oral tradition, this monument would have witnessed two imperial stops. On 22 May 1811 Napoleon I and his wife Marie-Louise had lunch nearby on a trip. Four years later, on 22 June 1815, Napoleon, en route to his exile, would have taken a brief break for a meal. These anecdotes, although not verifiable by contemporary written sources, contribute to the local legend surrounding this monument.

Ranked a Historical Monument by order of 24 September 1965, the obelisk is located at the corner of the Louvilliers road, between Dreux and Nonnancourt. Its present state no longer retains its original summital element, but its pyramidal structure and its historic border pillar function make this a rare testimony of the old regime's road developments. The approximate location, noted as 'a priori satisfactory', places the monument near National Highway 12, in an area marked by the history of royal and imperial movements.

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