Châteaudun () is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It was the site of the Battle of Châteaudun during the Franco-Prussian War. Geography Châteaudun is located about 45 km northwest of Orléans, and about 50 km south-southwest of Chartres. It lies on the river Loir, a tributary of the Sarthe. History Châteaudun (Latin ), which dates from the Gallo-Roman period, was in the middle ages the capital of the County of Dunois. The streets, which radiate from a central square, have a uniformity due to the reconstruction of the town after fires in 1723 and 1870. Employment The area is rich agricultural land, but a major local employer is the Châteaudun Air Base just to the east of the town, and much larger than the town itself. Population Main sights The town has a château, founded in the 10th century, known for being the first on the road to Loire Valley from Paris. Châteaundun also has a museum, the . The museum is diverse, the most popular exhibition being the big collection of stuffed birds. In addition, there are often temporary exhibitions, recent examples including the war of Asia, ancient Egypt and insects. Churches Medieval houses Personalities Châteaudun was the birthplace of: Pierre Guédron (1570–1620), composer Nicolas Chaperon (1612–1656) painter Edmond Modeste Lescarbault (1814), doctor and amateur astronomer Romain Feillu (1984) road racing cyclist Brice Feillu (1985) road racing cyclist Twin towns - sister cities Châteaudun is twinned with: Arklow, Ireland Kroměříž, Czech Republic Marchena, Spain Schweinfurt, Germany Trois-Rivières, Canada Gallery See also Communes of the Eure-et-Loir department References External links Official website (in French) Tourist office website (in English and French) Communes of Eure-et-Loir Subprefectures in France Carnutes Orléanais