Rosay-sur-Lieure extends partly along the banks of the La Lieure River near the church and partly across a plateau 80 metres higher. The elevated section lies on the edge of the Forêt domaniale de Lyons. The forest bordering Rosay-sur-Lieure is France’s largest beech forest and one of the largest beech forests in Europe.
Anyone considering Rosay-sur-Lieure as a destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment for their stay.
Nature
The combination of riverbank, plateau and forest defines the geographical setting of the village. The elevated part of Rosay-sur-Lieure lies on a plateau on the edge of the Forêt domaniale de Lyons.
Culture and history
The Église Notre-Dame de Rosay preserves several historic elements: its bell tower and nave date from the 12th century and are Romanesque in style. The nave was restored after being partially destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War and was extended in the west with a new portal.
The Château de Rosay was built between 1611 and 1619 in the style of Louis XIII and has been listed as a historic monument since 31 January 1938.
The village’s milling history is also still evident. The first known mention of the Moulin de Rosay dates from 1244. The present-day Moulin de Rosay was built in 1860 on the site of an earlier mill constructed in 1821. The disused mill still preserves its overshot waterwheel. The former Moulin de la Bretèque in Rosay-sur-Lieure also retains the original masonry of the west gable and the trace of its waterwheel.
The Calvaire du Vaumichon comprises an eight-metre-high rusticated stele and a 1.8-metre-high Christ made of natural terracotta on an oak cross. The calvary also has a semicircular altar with a tabletop made from an old millstone.
Special dates
A visiting programme is scheduled at the Château de Rosay on Sunday, 20 September 2026, from 10:00 to 17:00. It includes a free visit to the château gardens and a guided tour of the château.
Places to visit
The ruins of the Abbaye de Mortemer-en-Lyons are located in the vicinity of Rosay-sur-Lieure. The Château de Pont-Saint-Pierre is a château in the area surrounding Rosay-sur-Lieure. Also nearby are the Abbaye de l'Isle-Dieu, a historic site; the Abbaye de Fontaine-Guérard, also a historic site; and the Jardin Plume, a garden.
In the wider regional area around Rosay-sur-Lieure lies Biotropica, a park. The Île du Jonquay is an island there, as is the Île Brouilly.
Hiking
The 11-kilometre Boucle de la Jacassière hiking route starts at the church in Touffreville and passes through Rosay-sur-Lieure. It offers viewpoints over the valleys of the Lieure, Fouillebroc and Andelle.
Lieurey, Villerest, Saint-Etienne-Sous-Bailleul, Saint-Léger-De-Rôtes, Andé, Marais-Vernier, Campigny, Sainte-Geneviève-Lès-Gasny
