Get DK Top Ten Travel Guides on your iPhone & iPod Touch!
From the astonishing sight of mont-st-michel , appearing like some fabulous mirage out of the pancake-flat landscape which surrounds it, to the equine elegance of the national stud at Haras du Pin or the human elegance of romantic Château d’O, this region, which consists of the département of Orne and the southern part of Manche, is crammed with history and variety. The scenery is just as varied: there’s the rugged beauty of the Pays d’Alençon in the Parc Régional de Normandie-Maine, where bands of thick forest cover the high ridges; the wooded Mortainais, with its steep valleys and exhilarating waterfalls; the gently rolling pastureland of the Perche, interrupted by cool, deep, green forests; the narrow lanes and pretty, flower-filled villages of the Pays du Bocage Ornais; and those flat salt marshes of the Baie de Mont-St-Michel.
More on Lacemaking-
Popularized by Napoleon III, the famous cheese was first made here by Marie Harel around 1790. Some nearby farms still use her original method.
-
Using waxworks, this museum in an old monastery reconstructs the everyday life of the monks.
-
Until 1936, when it was bought by the state, this imposing red-brick château had been in the Le Veneur de Tillières family for almost 500 years. Founded by Jean de Carrouges in the 14th century, it has all the attributes necessary for a grand château: moats, terraces, a park and gardens, and a particularly elegant 16th-century gatehouse with four pepperpot towers (see Autour d’un Piano, Château de Carrouges).
-
Its fairy-tale turrets, ornately carved pediments and steep-sloping roofs reflected in the limpid, green waters of its rectangular moat, this dainty early-Renaissance château is as enchanting as the family name is curious. It was built mainly during the 15th and 16th centuries, with a west wing – now the living quarters – added in the 18th. You can wander in the grounds or take a short tour of the interior, furnished in predominantly 18th-century style.
-
Perched above the Varenne Gorge, with open views over the pear orchards of the Passais bocage , the ramparts and towers are evidence of the town’s turbulent history.
-
Admire the giant waterwheel that drove the machinery of this former paper mill on the River Sée.
-
Morning
Pick up a “Circuit du Patrimoine” from the tourist office in the old market in Mortagne-au-Perche (pl du Général-de-Gaulle), and walk its route, popping into the Église de Notre-Dame to see the glorious altarpiece. Finish with a coffee in the Hôtel Tribunal (see Tribunal, Mortagne-au-Perche).
Leave Mortagne-au-Perche on the D931 toward Mamers. Turn left on the D275 and follow signs to La Perrière, an enchanting village of colourful cottages and tempting brocantes (antiques shops), with a glorious view. Take the RF225 through the peaceful Forêt de Belleme as far as the D931. Turn right for Bellême . Go through the town and turn right onto the D203 to Nocé, where the Auberge des 3J (1 pl Docteur-Gireaux) is an excellent lunch stop.
Afternoon
Leave Nocé on the D9, stopping for a glimpse of the handsome Manoir de Courboyer before spectacular vistas open up along the route. Turn right onto the D5 to the huge, incongruous Chapelle-Montligeon. After a look, follow the road through the village until it meets the D213. Turn left through the Forêt de Reno-Valdieu to Monceaux and the glorious Manoir de Pongirard gardens (open May–Oct: pm Sat–Sun). Take the D291 to St-Victor-de-Réno for a well-deserved meal at the charming Auberge de Brochard.
-
An extravaganza running the gamut of Norman history, with the aid of a formidable cast of 800 actors, horses and dogs.
-
You don’t have to be a horse lover to be impressed by the style and splendour of the national stud, a “Versailles for horses” founded by Colbert in the mid-17th century with the approval of the Sun King himself. Colbert commissioned Pierre Le Mousseux, a protégé of Mansart, to design it. At the end of a long, grassy ride carved through the surrounding woods, the main château and two elegant stable blocks (now housing exhibits) enclose a horseshoe-shaped courtyard known as Colbert’s Court, the scene of horse and carriage displays on Thursday afternoons in summer. There are guided tours of the forge, tack room and stables, where some 100 stallions are kept at stud.
-
This comfortable family-run hotel in the heart of this active market town offers a choice between two excellent traditional restaurants.
-
Restaurant price categories
For a three course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
-
Advertisement
-
-
Berlin guide
skrams
-
London guide
pukank
-
Merry in Madrid
travel
-
-
New York festivities
travel
-
Christmas in Vienna
travel
-
Washington, D.C. guide
michae
-
Venice Guide
BillZi
-
![[+]](/images/button-addtoguide.gif)
symbol, to start adding attractions to your
tailor-made travel guide.
