DREUX(Purocassis, Drocoe), a town of France in the department of Eure-et-Loir, on the Blaise, 21 miles north of Chartres. Noteworthy structures are the Gothic church of St Pierre; the town-house, partly in the Gothic and partly in the Renaissance style, built in the 16th century; and the remains of a castle of the 12th century, situated on the hill overlooking the town, within the inclosure of which is a chapel commenced in 1816 by the dowager duchess of Orleans, and completed and adorned at great cost by Louis Philippe. The chief industries of Dreux are dyeing and silk-weaving, and the manufacture of jewellery, serges, hosiery, candles, hats, and leather. In 1872 the population of the commune was 7418, of the town 6666.

Dreux was governed by counts in the Middle .Ages. In 1188 it was taken and burnt by the English; and in 1562 Coligni and the prince of Condé were defeated in its vicinity by Montmorency. In 1593 Henry IV. captured the town after a fortnight’s siege. Dreux was occupied by the Germans on October 9th, 1870, was subsequently evacuated, and was again taken, on November 17th, by General Von Tresckow.