Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Sées Cathedral
Right
Grande Cascade, Mortain
Towns and Villages
Sées
A bishopric since the 4th
century, Sées has its fair share
of religious buildings: a Gothic
cathedral with a very fine interior,
a former Bishop's Palace and an
abbey.
d
Map E5
•
Tourist office: pl du
Général-de-Gaulle. 02 33 28 74 79
Mortagne-au-Perche
Sometime regional capital,
and an excellent historic base for
exploring, this bustling hill-top
town is famous for its black
pudding.
d
Map H6
•
Tourist office: pl
du Général-de-Gaulle. 02 33 85 11 18
Bellême
On a rocky spur overlooking
forest, vestigial fortifications
nestle among well-preserved
17th- and 18th-century houses.
There's a wonderful mushroom
fair here in late September.
d
Map H6
•
Tourist office: blvd Bansard
des Bois. 02 33 73 09 69
St-Céneri-le-Gérei
Not just pretty but officially so
(listed as one of France's top 100),
this small stone village above the
River Sarthe is a little gem which
has inspired generations of artists
(see p62)
.
d
Map E6
L'Aigle
Traditionally a metalworking
area, the town plays host each
Tuesday to Normandy's biggest
market
(see p58)
. St Martin's
church and the château are both
worth a visit.
d
Map H5
•
Tourist
office: pl Fulbert de Beina. 02 33 24 12 40
Domfront
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.
d
Map D5
•
Tourist
office: pl de la Roirie. 02 33 38 53 97
Camembert
Popularized by Napoleon III,
the famous cheese was first
made here by Marie Harel around
1790. Some nearby farms still use
her original method.
d
Map E4
•
La
Ferme “President”: 02 33 36 06 60. Open
for visits Mar-Oct: daily. Adm charge
Mortain
Mortain is surrounded by
woods, waterfalls and granite.
Two remarkable falls (Grande and
Petite Cascade) are within
walking distance of the town
centre.
d
Map C5
•
Tourist office: rue
du Bourg Lopin. 02 33 59 19 74
Argentan
Apart from its role at the
end of the Battle of Normandy
(1944), commemorated by the
nearby Mémorial de Montormel,
the town is known for lace and
horse racing.
d
Map E5
•
Tourist
office: rue Latour-Labroise. 02 33 67 12 48
Pontorson
Pontorson is something of a
gateway to Mont-St-Michel. Its
12th-century church is a fine
example of Norman Romanesque.
d
Map B5
•
Tourist office: pl de l'Hôtel de
Ville. 02 33 60 20 65
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