Fréteval

Commune

Lock on the Loir

Coat of arms

Fréteval

Location within Centre-Val de Loire region

Fréteval

Coordinates: 47°53′19″N 1°12′38″E / 47.8886°N 1.2106°ECoordinates: 47°53′19″N 1°12′38″E / 47.8886°N 1.2106°E

Country

Haut Vendômois

Government

• Mayor (2014–2020)

Bernard Pillefer

Area¹

20.49 km² (7.91 sq mi)

Population (2013)²

1,136

• Density

55/km² (140/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

41095 /41160

Elevation

85–151 m (279–495 ft)
(avg. 90 m or 300 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Fréteval is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.

The Fréteval forest is 299 square miles (770 km²) of thick woodland 100 miles (160 km) south of Paris. In World War II it was used to hide Allied airmen who were on the run in a camp with the codename of "Sherwood". The route from Paris involved the evaders getting to train to the town of Châteaudun and then a 10-mile (16 km) hike down country roads. The French Resistance was very strong in this area and the officer in charge 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. A British officer, Airey Neave, of MI9, (the British Military Intelligence Section 9), was in overall control of the operation and the first evaders were brought from Paris on 20 May 1944. On 13 August 1944 the Fréteval camp was liberated by the American 3rd Army and 132 Allied airmen were brought to safety.

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Wikipedia