Les Préaux (French pronunciation: [le pʁeo]) is a commune in the Eure department and Normandy region of France.

[3] Several archaeological discoveries carried out on the territory of the commune testify to a human presence since the Neolithic period.

[4] On the plateau of Mont-les-Mares, a Gallo-Roman villa was discovered near the old route traced at the beginning of our era called "Perrey Road".

[5] During the High Middle Ages, the topographic features of the valley provided favorable conditions for the foundation of a first abbey, located on the site of the current town hall.

[6] On this occasion, Préaux is mentioned for the first time in a text in its Latin form Pratellum ("pasture").

[clarification needed][8] Saint Peter's Abbey became an influential player in the region and oversaw the construction of parish churches.

[8] The legal status of town implies that the city escaped the feudal authority of a lord.

Musset refers to the laws of Burgundy Breteuil which can give similar examples found in Normandy.

Originally a wheat mill, it became a wire laundry in 1855,[12] and hydraulic energy is then used to power a mechanical weaver.

The industrial site was booming, several buildings were built, and a steam engine was installed to replace the mill.

The population data given in the table and graph below for 1962 and earlier are excluding the former commune of Saint-Michel-de-Préaux, absorbed in 1844.