Orne

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Template:Short description Template:Other uses Template:Infobox settlement Orne (Template:IPA; Template:Langx or Template:Lang) is a department in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.<ref name=pop2019>Populations légales 2019: 61 Orne, INSEE</ref>

History

Orne is one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution, on 4 March 1790.<ref name="Orneguide">Template:Cite web</ref> It was created from parts of the former provinces of Normandy and Perche.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After the Battle of Waterloo the department was occupied by the Prussians as agreed in the Treaty of Paris.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The area was occupied for three years, during which time the occupying forces pillaged the locals, taking food and money from the locals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Prussians left in 1818.Template:SfnTemplate:Full citation needed

During World War II the commune was occupied by the Axis powers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The commune was liberated from its occupiers on August 21, 1944 as part of Operation Overlord, when the final battle of the battle of the Falaise pocket on Hill 262 near Coudehard was won.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Orne is in the region of Normandy neighbouring Eure, Eure-et-Loir, Sarthe, Manche, Mayenne, and Calvados.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the only department of Normandy not to border the English Channel.<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Geology

Orne has several different geological areas, firstly in the west of the department is the Armorican Massif, which is an ancient mountain range that has been eroded over time to become granite hills.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> You then have the flatter plains of the Plaine d'Argentan in the north.<ref name="APO">Template:Cite web</ref> To the east of the Plaine d'Argentan you have the rolling hills of the Pays d'Auge.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To the far north east is the Pays d'Ouche, which features Chalk Group and Clay-with-Flints soils that are not agriculturally productive.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the South of Orne is the forested area of the Perche.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Orne department has the highest point in Normandy, called the Signal d'Écouves, located in Fontenai-les-Louvets which is 413 metres in height.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hydrology

The 170 km River Orne is the main river that flows through the commune flowing into the English Channel from its source in Aunou-sur-Orne .<ref>Template:Sandre</ref> The Orne forms the Lac de Rabodanges in Putanges-le-Lac, a 6 km artificial lake covering almost 240 acres, making it the largest lake in Lower Normandy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rivers running through the Orne department

In addition to the river Orne that the department is named after there are a further 16 rivers running through the commune that are at least 25 km in length:

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  1. Avre - 80.4 km long, its source is at Tourouvre au Perche and flows into the Eure near Dreux<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  2. Baize - 25.72 km long, its source is at Habloville and flows into the river Orne at the border between the communes of Les Isles-Bardel and Rapilly.<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  3. Cance - 25.5 km long, its source is at La Lande-de-Goult and flows into the river Orne at Écouché-les-Vallées<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  4. Charentonne - 63 km long, its source is at Saint-Evroult-Notre-Dame-du-Bois and flows into the Eure near Nassandres sur Risle<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  5. Colmont - 50.4 km long, its source is at Fougerolles-du-Plessis and flows into the Mayenne near Saint-Loup-du-Gast<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  6. Dives - 105 km long, its source is at Gouffern en Auge and flows into the English Channel in Cabourg<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  7. Don - 29.55 km long, its source is at Brullemail and flows into the river Orne at Almenêches<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  8. Huisne - 164.86 km long, its source is at Belforêt-en-Perche and flows into the river Sarthe at Le Mans<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  9. Noireau - 43.26 km long, its source is at Saint-Christophe-de-Chaulieu and flows into the river Orne at Ménil-Hubert-sur-Orne<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  10. Mayenne - 202.61 km long, its source is at Lalacelle and flows into the river Maine at Angers<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  11. Risle - 144.72 km long, its source is at Planches and flows into the river Seine at Berville-sur-Mer<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  12. Rouvre - 45.6 km long, its source is at Beauvain and flows into the river Orne at Le Mesnil-Villement<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  13. Sarthe - 313.81 km long, its source is at Soligny-la-Trappe and flows into the river Maine at Angers<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  14. Touques - 108.4 km long, its source is at Champ-Haut and flows into the English Channel between the communes of Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  15. Udon - 28.24 km long, its source is at Chahains and flows into the river Orne at Sevrai<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>
  16. Ure - 30.21 km long, its source is at Ménil-Froger and flows into the river Orne at Argentan<ref name="sandre">Template:Sandre</ref>
  17. Varenne - 50.4 km long, its source is at Messei and flows into the Mayenne near Ambrières-les-Vallées<ref>Template:Sandre</ref>

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Fauna and Flora

The orne has Template:Convert of forests and Template:Convert of hedges and groves, the forest covers 17% of the department's surface area.<ref name="forest">Template:Cite web</ref> Three quarters of the forest trees are Broad leaf based with the other 25% being coniferous.<ref name="forest"/>

Orne’s highly rural bocage and forest habitats aren’t home to many strict endemic species, but they do shelter several regionally rare species:

Economy

The largest town by a considerable margin is the prefecture, Alençon, which is an administrative and commercial centre for what is still an overwhelmingly rural department.

Employment

As of 2025, the Orne has a below unemployment rate of 6.8% compared to the national average of 7.1%.<ref name="OrneStats">Template:Cite web</ref>

Most employment within the Orne is in Public sector, closely followed by services as shown in the table below.

Employment by sector of activity <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sector of activity 2011
Number		 2011
%		 2016
Number		 2016
%		 2022
Number		 2022
%
Together 112,585 100.0 106,440 100.0 106,386 100.0
Agriculture 8,413 7.5 8,153 7.7 7,565 7.1
Industry 21,966 19.5 19,544 18.4 19,583 18.4
Construction 8,651 7.7 7,392 6.9 7,701 7.2
Commerce, transport, various services 37,734 33.5 35,650 33.5 35,579 33.4
Public administration, education, health, social action 35,821 31.8 35,700 33.5 35,959 33.8

Production in Orne

By far the largest export of the Orne department is dairy products as shown by the table below:

Major exports of the Orne department as of 2024 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Category Export value in (€M)
%
Dairy Products 320
Furniture 143
Automotive parts & equipment 134
Precious & other non-ferrous metals 132
Meat & meat products 85.1

Food and Drink Production in Orne

Orne’s agricultural sector is dominated by dairy and bovine meat, which together account for two-thirds of the total value of farm deliveries. The department has diversified over the past two decades to include poultry, sheep, pork and equine production.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dairy products and cheeses

Pont-l'Évêque
  • Camembert de Normandie (AOP) - a traditional soft-ripened cheese from Orne made exclusively with unpasteurised milk from Normandy cows, characterised by its velvety white bloomy rind and creamy interior with delicate notes of milk and undergrowth. Its production follows strict AOP rules, including hand-ladling the curd into moulds in five successive layers and a minimum ageing of 22 days before release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Livarot (AOP) - a washed-rind soft cheese from the Pays d'Auge in Orne, made with Normande cow’s milk and matured for at least 21 days. It is encircled by five sedge bands—hence its nickname “Le Colonel”, as the rings of dried bullrush resemble the stripes on a colonel's uniform.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Pont-l’Évêque (AOP) - a traditional soft, washed-rind cheese from Normandy, made from cow’s milk and distinguished by its square shape. It features a supple ivory-coloured paste and a gently reddish washed rind, having been matured for 4 – 6 weeks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

These cheeses are produced by both artisan creameries and larger dairy plants such as Fromageries Gillot in Saint-Hilaire-de-Briouze and Laiterie Fléchard in Rives d'Andaine.<ref name="NormandyFoodIndustry">Template:Cite web</ref>

Fruit-based products

Pommeau de Normandie A.O.C.
  • Normandy Cider (IGP) - a traditional apple cider made in Normandy under the EU’s Protected Geographical Indication (IGP - Indication géographique protégée in French) scheme, crafted from a blend of heritage regional apple varieties and fermented slowly to develop its characteristic golden hue, bright acidity and aromatic fruit-forward profile.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Calvados (AOC) - a traditional Normandy apple (and pear) brandy made from cider pressed exclusively from designated orchard varieties within its appellation area. It must be distilled under INAO regulations and aged at least two years in oak barrels, developing a balance of fresh fruit character and oak-derived spice and vanilla notes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Pommeau de Normandie (AOC) - a traditional Normandy aperitif made by mutage of two-thirds Cider apple must and one-third young Calvados, aged at least fourteen months in oak barrels to develop its amber hue and complex aromas of candied fruit, honey and vanilla.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Poiré de Domfront AOP - a traditional sparkling perry from the Domfrontais region of Orne, crafted exclusively from designated high-stem perry-pear varieties and matured by natural in-bottle fermentation to yield fine effervescence and a delicate bouquet of fresh pear, floral and honeyed notes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The orchards of Pays d’Auge and Domfrontais supply fruit for pressing, distillation and ageing facilities throughout the department.<ref name="NormandyFoodIndustry"/>

Demographics

Template:Historical populations The inhabitants of the department are called Ornais.

The recorded population level peaked at 443,688 in 1836. Declining farm incomes and the lure of better prospects in the overseas empire led to a sustained reduction in population levels in many rural departments. By the time of the 1936 census, the recorded population stood at just 269,331. Once motor car ownership started to surge in the 1960s, employment opportunities became less restricted and by 1982, the population level had recovered a little to 295,000, after which it slowly decreased.

Principal towns

The most populous commune is Alençon, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 5,000 inhabitants:<ref name=pop2019/>

Commune Population (2019)
Alençon 25,870
Flers 14,762
Argentan 13,395
L'Aigle 7,961
La Ferté Macé 5,186

Politics

The president of the Departmental Council is Christophe de Balorre, elected in 2017.

Presidential elections 2nd round

Election Winning Candidate Party % 2nd Place Candidate Party %
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | 2022<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Emmanuel Macron LREM 55.12 Marine Le Pen RN 44.88
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | 2017 Emmanuel Macron LREM 61.64 Marine Le Pen FN 38.36
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | 2012 Nicolas Sarkozy UMP 52.89 François Hollande PS 47.11
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | 2007 Nicolas Sarkozy UMP 57.66 Ségolène Royal PS 42.34
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | 2002<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jacques Chirac RPR 81.30 Jean-Marie Le Pen FN 18.70

Current National Assembly Representatives

Constituency Member<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Party
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | Orne's 1st constituency Joaquim Pueyo Socialist Party
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | Orne's 2nd constituency Véronique Louwagie The Republicans
style="background-color: Template:Party color" | Orne's 3rd constituency Jérôme Nury The Republicans

Administrative division of the Orne

Map of the arrondissements and cantons cantons of the Orne

The Orne has 3 arrondissements, 21 cantons and 381 communes. <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • The Arrondissement of Alençon extends over the south and southwest of the department. It comprises 111 communes with an area of 15,458.8 km2, which makes it the smallest of the three districts. As of 2017, it had a population of 86,365.<ref name="arrondisment">Template:Cite web</ref>
  • The Arrondissement of Argentan extends over the north and northwest of the department. It is organized around Argentan and the northern part of the former arrondissement of Domfront. It is the most populous of the three districts with 123 communes with an area of 1,904.1 km2.<ref name="arrondisment"/>
  • The Arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche extends over the Percheronne part of the department, in the south-east. It comprises 147 communes with a population of 87,392.<ref name="arrondisment"/>

Culture

The local dialect used mostly within the Pays d'Auge is known as Augeron.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable annual events in Orne

The following events all attract 15,000 or more vistors each year.

Music festivals

Fairs and gastronomy

  • Foire Saint-Denis: the oldest and largest popular fair in Orne held the first weekend of October at Montilly-sur-Noireau, covering 8.5 ha with about 700 exhibitors, 100 amusement rides and attracting over 100 000 visitors; documented since the mid-16th century.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Foire au Boudin: a mid-March culinary fair in Mortagne-au-Perche devoted to La Boudin Noir, featuring tastings, livestock demonstrations, a best Boudin Noir contest by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte-Boudin and a funfair; Running since 1962 it attracts 27 500 visitors annually.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Ornexpo: an annual trade fair at Anova in Alençon, showcasing over 130 exhibitors in home, gastronomy, leisure and mobility sectors attracting 15,000 visitors and was first held in 1929 to promote local commerce.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Foire Saint-Vincent: annual winter funfair held at Argentan’s Champ de Foire each January, featuring about 50 amusement rides, game stalls, local food vendors and a fireworks display; it attracts approximately 85,000 visitors every year and was first documented in 1750<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sport

Football

The most successful football club in the department is US Alençon, who have previously managed to play in the 3rd tier of the French football league system for a couple of seasons in the 1980s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Two other clubs, Football Club Argentan and Football Club Flérien have managed to compete in the 5th tier of the league system.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Horse racing

  • Hippodrome du Pays d'Argentan – based in neighbouring Gouffern en Auge, it hosts 21 racing days per year, including 12 televised PMU meetings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transport

Road

The department of Orne is crossed by two major autoroutes: the A28 (Abbeville–Tours) and the A88 (Caen–A28), linking Orne to Normandy’s principal cities and the national motorway network.<ref name="auto1"/>

Rail

L'Aigle station

Orne is served by SNCF TER Normandie on the Paris–Granville line (via Argentan, Briouze and Flers) and the Alençon–Caen connection.<ref name="MFG">Template:Cite web</ref> The department has 13 train stations:<ref name="MFG"/>

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  1. Alençon station
  2. Argentan station
  3. Bretoncelles
  4. Briouze station
  5. Écouché-les-Vallées
  6. Flers station
  7. L'Aigle station
  8. Merlerault-le-Pin
  9. Sablons-sur-Huisne
  10. Sainte-Gauburge-Sainte-Colombe
  11. Sées station
  12. Surdon station
  13. Val-au-Perche

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Bus

Interurban bus services in Orne are operated by Nomad Car 61, which runs 25 year-round lines linking major communes and school circuits.<ref name="Nomad">Template:Cite web</ref> Urban networks include Alto in Alençon, Nemus in Flers, Argentan Intercom Mobilité in Argentan and Bus Urbain in Bagnoles-de-l’Orne.<ref name="Nomad"/><ref name="Transbus">Template:Cite web</ref>

Air

Aérodrome d'Alençon - Valframbert

Orne has no airport with scheduled commercial flights; the nearest airports offering domestic and seasonal international services are Caen–Carpiquet and Deauville–Normandie in neighbouring departments.<ref name="CompleteFrance">Template:Cite web</ref>

The department has six airfields that are used for private planes:

  1. Aérodrome d'Argentan based in Argentan<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  2. Couterne Airport, also known as L'aérodrome de Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, based in Rives d'Andaine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  3. Aérodrome d'Alençon - Valframbert based in Valframbert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  4. L'aérodrome Flers-Saint-Paul situated in La Lande-Patry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  5. Aérodrome de L'Aigle - Saint-Michel located in Saint-Sulpice-sur-Risle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  6. Aérodrome de Mortagne-au-Perche which is spread over two communes Saint-Hilaire-le-Châtel & Saint-Langis-lès-Mortagne.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tourism

Overview

Tourism in the Orne department centres on its rural heritage, bocage landscapes and cultural landmarks. As of 1 January 2023 the department offered 63 hotels with 1 328 rooms, 30 campsites with 1 477 pitches and 2 806 additional bed places in collective accommodations such as holiday villages and hostels.<ref name="INSEE">Template:Cite web</ref>

The sector attracts over 6.2 million overnight stays annually, sustains around 1 500 direct and indirect jobs and generates approximately €200 million in direct economic turnover each year.<ref name="CD61">Template:Cite web</ref>

Main attractions

Heritage sites

Museums

Gardens

  • Jardin Interieur A Ciel ouvert
    Jardin Interieur A Ciel ouvert
  • Domaine du château de Sassy
    Domaine du château de Sassy

Towns and villages

Natural areas

Other attractions

Accommodation

As of 1 January 2023, the department has the following accommodation facilities<ref name="INSEE"/>

Type Establishments Rooms / Pitches Bed places
Hotels 63 1 328 –
Campsites 30 1 477 –
Other collective accommodations – – 2 806

Economic impact

The tourism industry in Orne records over 6.2 million overnight stays each year, underpins roughly 1 500 jobs across hospitality and related services, and contributes an estimated €200 million in direct annual turnover, making it one of the department’s foremost economic sectors.<ref name="CD61"/>

See also

References

<references />

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