Fréteval (French pronunciation:[fʁetval]) is a commune in the French department of Loir-et-Cher.[3] The village is located on the right bank of the river Loir. Archaeological evidence indicates that the site was occupied by the second century CE. In the Middle Ages, the fortifications of the Château de Fréteval [fr] were used to defend the region against Anjou and, later, England. The Battle of Fréteval was fought nearby in 1194. The Forest of Fréteval extends into the northern part of the commune and was used in World War II as a refuge for Allied airmen shot down over France.
Near the village of Fréteval is the Grisset tower, the ruins of a Roman-Gallic religious complex dating from the second century CE. Only part of the cella, the tower at the center of the complex, has survived intact. Archaeologists have found traces of baths and a theater.[4] The site was occupied by a village called Saint Victor in the early middle ages.[5]
The Fréteval family is first mentioned in records in the mid-10th century. Count Eudes II of Chartres built the Château de Fréteval about 1025 to defend the area from Anjou. The Frétevals were a noble family with regional power as vassals of the Counts of Blois and Counts of Chartres (often the same person) from 1000 to 1170.[6] The château covered an area of 4.5 hectares (11 acres) with three lines of defense against attacks. A round tower, the keep or Donjon, survives. It is one of the oldest circular keeps in France.[7]
On 3 July 1194, at the Battle of Freteval, the forces of Richard I of England raided the camp of Philippe II of France and captured the written records and much of the treasure of the French kingdom. After the battle, Philippe established the National Archives of France in Paris as a more secure and permanent depository and library for government documents.[8] The château was damaged by English attacks in 1418 and thereafter was mostly uninhabited.[9]
The Fréteval Forest, 299 square miles (770 km2) of thick woodland 100 miles (160 km) south of Paris, is partially located in the commune.[11]
In 1944 during World War II, the Fréteval Forest, code named "Sherwood" in Operation Marathon, was one of several sites used to hide Allied airmen who had been shot down by the Germans and were attempting to evade capture. They were sheltered in camps in the forest. Airmen were first collected from where they had crashed and transported to Paris and assembled in safe houses in Paris. From Paris to the camps the evaders and their French guides traveled by train to the town of Châteaudun and then hiked 10-mile (16 km) down country roads. The French Resistance was strong in the forest area, but the leaders of the resistance agreed to cease operations so as not to call German attention to the forest.
The officer in charge of the forest camps was an ex-Comet line veteran, Jean de Blommaert, who was parachuted into France and made his way to Paris to start arrangements for the camp. The first evaders were brought from Paris to the camps on 20 May 1944. On 12 June, while guiding several airmen from Paris to the camps, an American woman active in the French resistance, Virginia d'Albert-Lake, was captured and imprisoned by the Germans.[12]
A British officer, Airey Neave, of MI9, (British Military Intelligence Section 9), supervised Operation Marathon. Neave and a small force of French Resistance fighters and allied soldiers liberated the camp on 14 August 1944. 152 Allied airmen were brought to safety.[13]
^The "Chateau de Freteval," [2], accessed 5 Apr 2020.
^Livingstone, Amy (1997), "Kith and Kin: Kinship and Family Structure of the Nobility of Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Blois-Chartres," French Historical Studies, Vol. 20, No. 3, p. 424, 428. Downloaded from JSTOR.
^"The Hidden Army of Freteval," [5], accessed 5 Apr 2020
^Neave, Airey (1970), The Escape Room, Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co, p. 267-295
^Home Run - Escape from Nazi Europe - 2007 - John Nichol and Tony Rennell - (Penguin books)
External linksedit
Freteval Forest Evaders
A Sherwood Register
Fôret de Fréteval images
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fréteval.
April 12, 2024
fréteval, french, pronunciation, fʁetval, commune, french, department, loir, cher, village, located, right, bank, river, loir, archaeological, evidence, indicates, that, site, occupied, second, century, middle, ages, fortifications, château, were, used, defend. Freteval French pronunciation fʁetval is a commune in the French department of Loir et Cher 3 The village is located on the right bank of the river Loir Archaeological evidence indicates that the site was occupied by the second century CE In the Middle Ages the fortifications of the Chateau de Freteval fr were used to defend the region against Anjou and later England The Battle of Freteval was fought nearby in 1194 The Forest of Freteval extends into the northern part of the commune and was used in World War II as a refuge for Allied airmen shot down over France FretevalCommuneCoat of armsLocation of FretevalFretevalShow map of FranceFretevalShow map of Centre Val de LoireCoordinates 47 53 19 N 1 12 38 E 47 8886 N 1 2106 E 47 8886 1 2106CountryFranceRegionCentre Val de LoireDepartmentLoir et CherArrondissementVendomeCantonLe PercheGovernment Mayor 2023 2026 Pascal Trassard 1 Area120 49 km2 7 91 sq mi Population 2021 2 1 059 Density52 km2 130 sq mi Time zoneUTC 01 00 CET Summer DST UTC 02 00 CEST INSEE Postal code41095 41160Elevation85 151 m 279 495 ft avg 90 m or 300 ft 1 French Land Register data which excludes lakes ponds glaciers gt 1 km2 0 386 sq mi or 247 acres and river estuaries A lock on the Loir The round keep of the chateau of Freteval The church in the village of Freteval Contents 1 History 2 Population 3 Freteval Forest 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editNear the village of Freteval is the Grisset tower the ruins of a Roman Gallic religious complex dating from the second century CE Only part of the cella the tower at the center of the complex has survived intact Archaeologists have found traces of baths and a theater 4 The site was occupied by a village called Saint Victor in the early middle ages 5 The Freteval family is first mentioned in records in the mid 10th century Count Eudes II of Chartres built the Chateau de Freteval about 1025 to defend the area from Anjou The Fretevals were a noble family with regional power as vassals of the Counts of Blois and Counts of Chartres often the same person from 1000 to 1170 6 The chateau covered an area of 4 5 hectares 11 acres with three lines of defense against attacks A round tower the keep or Donjon survives It is one of the oldest circular keeps in France 7 On 3 July 1194 at the Battle of Freteval the forces of Richard I of England raided the camp of Philippe II of France and captured the written records and much of the treasure of the French kingdom After the battle Philippe established the National Archives of France in Paris as a more secure and permanent depository and library for government documents 8 The chateau was damaged by English attacks in 1418 and thereafter was mostly uninhabited 9 Population editHistorical populationYearPop p a 1968899 1975909 0 16 1982863 0 74 1990848 0 22 1999897 0 63 20071 032 1 77 20121 134 1 90 20171 083 0 92 Source INSEE 10 Freteval Forest editThe Freteval Forest 299 square miles 770 km2 of thick woodland 100 miles 160 km south of Paris is partially located in the commune 11 In 1944 during World War II the Freteval Forest code named Sherwood in Operation Marathon was one of several sites used to hide Allied airmen who had been shot down by the Germans and were attempting to evade capture They were sheltered in camps in the forest Airmen were first collected from where they had crashed and transported to Paris and assembled in safe houses in Paris From Paris to the camps the evaders and their French guides traveled by train to the town of Chateaudun and then hiked 10 mile 16 km down country roads The French Resistance was strong in the forest area but the leaders of the resistance agreed to cease operations so as not to call German attention to the forest The officer in charge of the forest camps was an ex Comet line veteran Jean de Blommaert who was parachuted into France and made his way to Paris to start arrangements for the camp The first evaders were brought from Paris to the camps on 20 May 1944 On 12 June while guiding several airmen from Paris to the camps an American woman active in the French resistance Virginia d Albert Lake was captured and imprisoned by the Germans 12 A British officer Airey Neave of MI9 British Military Intelligence Section 9 supervised Operation Marathon Neave and a small force of French Resistance fighters and allied soldiers liberated the camp on 14 August 1944 152 Allied airmen were brought to safety 13 See also editCommunes of the Loir et Cher department Comet line Operation Marathon World War II References edit Repertoire national des elus les maires in French data gouv fr Plateforme ouverte des donnees publiques francaises 30 November 2023 Populations legales 2021 The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies 28 December 2023 INSEE commune file Ministere de Culture 1 access 5 April 2010 The Chateau de Freteval 2 accessed 5 Apr 2020 Livingstone Amy 1997 Kith and Kin Kinship and Family Structure of the Nobility of Eleventh and Twelfth Century Blois Chartres French Historical Studies Vol 20 No 3 p 424 428 Downloaded from JSTOR The Chateau de Freteval 3 Culture 41 Lettre F comme Freteval culture41 fr Retrieved 1 July 2017 The Chateau de Freteval 4 Population en historique depuis 1968 INSEE The Hidden Army of Freteval 5 accessed 5 Apr 2020 Neave Airey 1970 The Escape Room Garden City NY Doubleday amp Co p 267 295 Home Run Escape from Nazi Europe 2007 John Nichol and Tony Rennell Penguin books External links editFreteval Forest Evaders A Sherwood Register Foret de Freteval images nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Freteval Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Freteval amp oldid 1202248029, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
