It takes its name from the Orne River, which originates there.
It is the only Normandy department without a coastline.
Prefecture (capital): Alençon
Landscape: Predominantly rural with bocage (orchards with hedgerows), forests, rolling hills, meadows, and plateaus.
Well-known areas include the Suisse Normande (with the Roche d’Oëtre), the Perche, the Alpes Mancelles, and the Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park.
Economic and cultural:
Strongly agricultural and focused on livestock farming (horses, cattle, dairy). Known for: Horse breeding → National Stud Farm Haras du Pin (the "Versailles of horses").
Camembert cheese (originally in the region).
Alençon lace (UNESCO recognition).
Historic castles and country houses (including Château d’O, Sassy).
Tourism: Peaceful countryside, ideal for green holidays, hiking, and horseback riding.
Beautiful places such as Bagnoles-de-l’Orne (a spa town with Belle Époque architecture),
Saint-Céneri-le-Géréi (a painter's village), Argentan, and the forests.
In short: a peaceful, green, and authentic department, perfect for those seeking peace and nature, but less well-known than the coastal departments of Normandy.
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