Orne is a French department of Normandy in the northwest part of France that is named after the Orne River
Town Property Guides
Climate
The climate in this area is mild. Winter temperatures are average 5 degrees in the coldest months of December and January and around 22 degrees in July and August.
Geography
Orne is the current region of Basse-Normandie. The neighboring departments are Eure, Eure-et-Loir, Sarthe, Manche, and Calvados.
In this region is produced the Camemebert cheese. This department is un-crowded and a lot of entertainment for the family holidays and the rural treats. The villas are positioned both in the rural sanctuaries and in charming medieval towns. There a lot of horses.
This region is unspoiled rural region that is excellent for walking. There are almost 1,500 miles of footpath that pass through deep forests. The lakes and rivers are ideal for swimming but only during July and August only when the temperatures are good.
Towns
There are a few historic fortresses in this region. Some of the most prominent ones are the Domfront and Carrouges Castles . You can read about the Orne countryside in the legends of Camalot and King Arthur. You can even enjoy the Arthur hiking route.
If you have spent whole day on walking or sightseeing you can go and enjoy the resort of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne. It is positioned on the shores and forested lake and is the perfect way to fully relax.
Bagnoles de l’Orne is an excellent spa center a n d there are natural spring waters. It is also a charming town of castle ruins and is hosting the great medieval fair in August. It includes folk dancing, traditional costumes, local crafts and fayres. You have to visit this fest if you are in the vicinity during August.
The capital of Orne is Alencon. It has a showy Gothic Eglise Notre Dame with a very beautiful sight that stands out among the timber houses.
One of the most attractive towns is Flers. It is a large and attractive town with some great commercial center. The station has a railway links to Paris and the time to travel is two hours. This makes the town an appealing weekend runaway for the commuters who work in the capital. Fleur is positioned on the edge of the magnificent Suisse-Normandie region. There can be found some of the prettiest landscapes in France. Its way of living is much more relaxing than the one in Paris.
If visiting Flers you can go to the museum castle that dates back to the sixteenth or seventeenth century. There is a magnificent collection of paintings and sculptures and an excellent local history display including Norman culinary objects that reflect the tradition of the cooking in this area. You have to visit this museum if you are interested in French culinary.
History
Orne is one of the 83 departments that were untied during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was formed from parts of the previous provinces of Normandie and Perche.
Gastronomy
Gastronomy in this region is very good. Famous for the region are creams, apple, pear brandy, cider and soft cheese like Camembert. There are some great restaurants for lunches and evening meals. The quality of the food that is served there is perfect.
There are a lot of restaurants in the Flers. They offer a great variety of choices staring from snacks and reaching to gourmet dining. Flers is famous for some specific dishes and delicacies. You have to try Gousset, Tourte de Canard, or Bècs de Flers, these are special biscuits that are made in the town.
Useful information
Normandy Regional Tourism Board:
www.normandy-tourism.org
Maps of Normandy:
www.ign.fr
www.maps.google.fr
Travel from the UK
By ferry: Ferries go to Cherbourg from Portsmouth or Poole, to Caen from Portsmouth and to Dieppe from Newhaven.
By air: Easyjet flies from Belfast, Liverpool Newcastle and London Luton to Paris. Ryanair flies from Shannon, Dublin and Glasgow to Paris.
From there it is easiest to travel by train to Normandy.
Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Orne. We have a large network of estate agents in the Orne. All of them are registered French estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Orne matching your requirements. To find out more about our properties for sale in Orne do not hesitate to contact us.