Belforêt-en-Perche explained

Belforêt-en-Perche (in French pronounced as /bɛlfɔʁɛ ɑ̃ pɛʁʃ/, literally Belforêt in Perche) is a commune in the department of Orne, northwestern France. The municipality was established on 1 January 2017 by merger of the former communes of Le Gué-de-la-Chaîne (the seat), Eperrais, Origny-le-Butin, La Perrière, Saint-Ouen-de-la-Cour and Sérigny.^[2] La Perrière is classed as a Petites Cités de Caractère.^[3]

Geography

Belforêt-en-Perche along with the communes of Vaunoise, Saint-Martin-du-Vieux-Bellême, Igé and Appenai-sous-Bellême is part of the Bois et coteaux calcaires sous Belleme a Natura 2000 conservation site.^[4] The site measures 105 hectares and is home to the European stag beetle and European ash.^[5]

Botanical Garden of Le Bois du Puits is a botanical garden that was made open to the public in 2012, featuring over 2,000 species of plants.^[6]
La Perrière botanical garden is a 230 m2 botanical garden in La Perrière to highlight plants of the local area.^[7]

The Commune has 6 buildings and areas listed as a Monument historique

Former priory of Chènegallon a seventeenth century former priory in Eperrais.^[8]
l'Evêque lodge a seventeenth century former lodge in La Perrière.^[9]
Château de Morthimer a sixteenth century chateau in La Perrière.^[10]
Château du Tertre a seventeenth century chateau in Sérigny, that from 1926 was home to Nobel prize winning novelist Roger Martin du Gard.^[11] The grounds and Estate are shared with the neighbouring commune of Saint-Martin-du-Vieux-Bellême^[12]
Manoir de Soisai a sixteenth century Manor house in La Perrière.^[13]
Lods house a twentieth century house in Sérigny built by architect Marcel Lods.^[14]