Eure-et-Loir is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790 pursuant to the Act of December 22, 1789. It was created mainly from parts of the former provinces of Orléanais and Maine, but also parts of Île-de-France. The current department corresponds to the central part of the land of the Carnutes who had their capital at Autricum. The Carnutes are known for their commitment, real or imagined, to the ancient Druidic religion. A holy place in the "Forest of the Carnutes" used to host the annual Druidic assembly. In the north of the department another pre-Roman people, the little-known Durocasses, had their capital at Dreux.
The inhabitants of the department are called Euréliens.
Economy
The Eure-et-Loir is a department of agricultural tradition, but also at the forefront in three economic sectors :
Agriculture
The department is a major economic player in the production of grain and oilseed in France. Its agricultural economy is still heavily dependent on the economic and regulatory environment of the markets for crops. The Eure-et-Loir region is the first grain producer of France. It is also the national leader in the production of rapeseed and peas. Wheat production is by far the most dominant in the area. Nearly 40% of all farmland is devoted to the cultivation of wheat, which has generated an average of 29% of the commercial agricultural production of the department over the last 5 years. The "Pôle AgroDynamic also promotes agriculture in the department", a grouping of subsidiaries providing added values in different sectors: agro-energy, agribusiness, agricultural materials, Agrohealth.
The pharmaceutical industry, around Dreux and the Polepharma cluster. Created in 2002 under the leadership of CODEL Polepharma is a cluster of French pharmaceutical production which includes companies like Ipsen, Novo Nordisk, Laboratoires Expanscience, LEO Pharma, Ethypharm Famar, Norgine, Nypro, Synerlab / Sophartex and Seratec. The cluster represents 50% of drug production in France and 30,000 jobs. The Pharma cluster is also one of the creators of the inter-regional alliance "Pharma Valley" that has partner networks: Polepharma, CBS and Grepic. This alliance represents 60% of the production sites located in France and 2.5 billion euros of turnover.
the agri-food industry, promoted by Agrodynamic, with two major companies in the sector: Ebly at Chateaudun and an Andros at Auneau.
the elevator manufacturer Octé has its head office in Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais
Energy
The department also has the lead in renewable energy. Already ranked second nationally in terms of power generation through its wind farms located in particular in the Beauce region of Eure-et-Loir in 2012 will be the largest producer of electricity with photovoltaic French original creation on the airbase NATO disused Crucey-Villages near Brezolles in the region's natural Thymerais, the largest photovoltaic park in France. Given in February 2011 by the General Council to the operator, EDF Energies Nouvelles, the park will cover 245 ha of the military base and produce the equivalent output of 160 wind turbines.
Castle of Anet, of Chateaudun, of Maillebois, of Maintenon, of Montigny, of Montigny-sur-Avre, of Charbonnières, Castle Saint-John, Castle of Villepion, Castle of Reverseaux
