FRETEVAL

FRETEVAL: 907 inhabitants
Cultivable Grounds: 970 ha
total Surface: 2220 ha
Forests: 212 ha

Coming from the crossroads of Fontaine and heading to ORLEANS, the tourist cannot be prevented, while passing on the bridges which span Loire, from raising the head towards the imposing ruins of the old keep of FRETEVAL ,which dominates the borough and the valley in the even center of the highway.

But the history of the commune begins many centuries before that of its castle. Located in a plain alluviable very largely open presenting, on te right bank a Western slope with relatively soft slopes, cut small valleys of which one was very early penetrated by an axis of communication moving towards the MANS, and on the left bank an abrupt slope, FRETEVAL had certainly owing to its situation of crossroads and the presence of a ford making it possible to cross easily Loire, had favoured a rather dense old settlement.

Two dolmens and a menhir form the natural link between the megaliths located upstream (BREVAINVILLE, MOREE, ST-HILAIRE) and those of downstream (PEZOU and ARSINES). The menhir of ST-LUBIN-DES-PRÉS between Loire and the pond, in EASTERN- NORTH of the borough had to be used as demarcation in the cemetery which was established not far from there around a very old sanctuary.
The dolmen of Louettes that is well preserved is discovered in the edge of a small way which one can take, while going from the borough of FRETEVAL towards Fontaine, on the left before crossing the way of te railroad.
The other dolmen is there,so close, in a private property, but is unfortunately deeply upset there, very.

Located close to the crossroads of Fontaine, occupying a great part of the Western slope of the valley, an important Gallo-Roman unit rose, that may be one of these "conciliabula" including theatre, thermal baths and temple, which were built between Seine and Poitou and which we find the traces in VERDES on the beauce plateau in the North-East, in ARSINES in the valley,on the doors of VENDOME. The site of the theatre could not be determined; the thermal baths were partially excavated, but it is out of the temple that there remains the most beautiful vestige. This tower that one names tower of Grisset in the country is that of a Gallo-Roman temple of the second century of which the characteristic construction still presents a remarkable brick vault, as well as a succession of brick levelling in the rise of its walls.

It is there, and the researchs of the specialists believe it to be the only intact vestige of a monument of this kind in all Western Europe. This tower thus deserves interest and consideration. In the North and the North-East of the borough, on the territory of the old parish of ST-LUBIN-DES-PRES, annexed to FRETEVAL in 1811, several sites of merovingian cemeteries were discovered bringing the proof of a still important settlement at that time.

The church dedicated to ST-LUBIN was located not far from the passage of Loir to ford. In the opposite ,on the left bank was the Saint-Cyr vault depending on MOREE.

To want to tell in some lines the complete history of the feudal castle, of FRETEVAL would be a difficult challenge to realize. From 1060/1080 a probable date of the construction of the keep to 1425/1429 time of its destruction related to the events of the One hundred Year old War, this castle which covered more than 4 hectares witnessed on several occasions a national destiny.

Right from the start of its construction, in a place located on the edge of the counties of BLOIS and VENDOME, the dispute rises about it. Was there usurpation? It is well a long subject to be discussed and which exceeds the framework of a tourist guide.

Like all the "castles of Marche", FRETEVAL, was thus a place of battle and meeting. We will appoint only three dates of them: -1154 Henri II Plantagenet is beaten by apparently the garrison of the castle.
-1194 Philippe Auguste, coming from VENDOME, "is hung" close to FRETEVAL by Richard Coeur de Lion. This battle, which was perhaps only a skirmish, marked the spirits because the king of France lost his files there. From this era dates the creation of a Minister of Justice. -1170 Meeting of FRETEVAL between the king of England Henri II, Plantagenet and the bishop of Canterbery Thomas Becket, in the presence of Thibault, Count of BLOIS, a meeting which ends by the "Peace of FRETEVAL" of July 24, 1170. A few months later, on December 29, 1170, the Archbishop was assassinated in the nave even of his cathedral by four French knights of whom one was Renaud FITZURSE who was the proper son of the lord of FRETEVAL and the other had the name of Hugues de Moreville.

The One hundred Year old war will be fatal to the fortress which will play for the last time its defensive role against "the English who finishe by being pared outside". The castle was taken and taken again then finally burnt towards 1427/1428. Since a few years, the ruins of the three enclosures and dungeon, te manorial vault or the parish church dedicated to St Victor (which are standing up on the four hectares of the area roofed-in by the castle on the point of a natural spur) have left little by little the lapse of memory and the vegetation which invaded them. A building site of archaeological excavations, officially approved by the qualified services, maintains a scientific activity on the site, which will be relayed little by little by a tourist activity.
But of FRETEVAL, it will also be advisable not to forget its borough which was strengthened and the last vestiges of the fortifications: walls or turrets, ditch and contrescarpe will be gradually emphasized bringing an additional tourist element to a site whose charm is undeniable. During several walks which the tourist will be able to undertake in the surrounding countryside, this one will not fail to throw a glance on the old manor of Morville or the old strengthened farm of Boulets.