Dreux Travel Guide

I didn't have time to visit Dreux itself. I had to make my way back to the Netherlands and had to arrive back home that day. So i missed this town. It looked interesting from the hill top. So maybe i'll be able to go back one day and explore the town as well.

As said before the site is surrounded by a huge wall. Well actually it isn't that high a wall when your on standing in the site. But it sure is impressive when you stand at the foot of the wall. The chapel is build on top of a hill and it gives an excellent view over Dreux.

I was wondering what this building was. It looked really old. It turned out to be the old donjon. On this site there used to be a castle first and this was the keep. Now this and the old protection walls are all that are left of it.

The picture doesn't it justice at all. But i couldn't get it better since there were people inside and i could hardly jsut photograph away when i wasn't officially allowed to do so.. But the ceiling is beautiful, And since the chaple is basically a round space topped by this ceiling you can imagine a little bit how spacious it must have looked like.

Officially one isn't allowed to make any pictures but i was told that if i did it discretely and without flash it wasn't too much of a problem. Luckily there weren't too many people here. Only at the end a tour group entered with a guide.

Though i must admit, being down with the tombs all by myself and no one else in the chapel was very eerie. I would freak out if i would be there by myself at night. Luckily another visitor came along when i started to visit the tombs that are under the entrance..

Some of the statues on the tombs are made by well known scultpures.

The right building can be rented for parties and such. It was used by the family until a while ago. Nowadays the family stays in the left building when they visit. Usually they're around for a few weeks per year. ANd of course for burials ....

The whole site, house, chapel and land is privately owned by the Orleans-family. It must cost a fortune to upkeep. The entrance fee isn't little. But i found it worth it.

In 1816 the constuction was started on this building. In 1830 it was enlarged when Louis_Philippe became king of Frnace and declared this the chapel where the members of the Orleans-family would be buried. And even today the count of Paris (the title of the eldest son of the family) and the other family members are put here. And Europe's royalty will show up. Apparently our Queen came to the funeralwhen the old count (or his wife, i'm not sure) passed away. And she wasn't the only one.

Actually this in not the real entrance since you have to buy a ticket after which you can pass the gate and visit the place. But you'll have to get pass this first. It is actually a bridge and a road but unfortunately it is blocked by a gate and i haven't been able to find out where the road leads too.. First i thought it would be to an estate of sorts where the family lives or comes durign the holidays but that turned out not to be the case.