Domfront en Poiraie explained

Domfront en Poiraie
Commune Status:	Commune
Arrondissement:	Argentan
Canton:	Domfront en Poiraie
Insee:	61145
Postal Code:	61700
Mayor:	Bernard Soul^[1]
Term:	2020 - 2026
Coordinates:	48.594°N -0.65°W
Area Km2:	65.49

Domfront en Poiraie (in French pronounced as /dɔ̃fʁɔ̃ ɑ̃ pwaʁɛ/, literally Domfront in Pear Orchard) is a commune in the department of Orne, northwestern France. The municipality was established on 1 January 2016 by merger of the former communes of Domfront (the seat), La Haute-Chapelle and Rouellé.^[2] Its seat, Domfront, is classed as a Petites Cités de Caractère.^[3]

Geography

The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, Le Châtellier, Buais, La Guerdais, Rouellé, L'Hargrinière, La Pichellerie, La Croix Pavée, Saint-Front, Collière and Domfront.^[4]

It is 6550ha in size. The highest point in the commune is 187m (614feet).

The commune is within the Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park. Domfront en Poiraie along with the communes of Perrou, Les Monts d'Andaine, Juvigny Val d'Andaine, Dompierre and Champsecret is part of the BASSIN DE L'ANDAINETTE a Natura 2000 conservation site.^[5] The site measures 617 hectares and is home to the Bullhead, Brook lamprey and white-clawed crayfish.^[6]

The Andainette, The Varenne, The Egrenne and The Sonce are the four rivers, flowing through this commune.

Points of interest

National heritage sites

The Commune has eight buildings and areas listed as a Monument historique.^[7]

• Château de Domfront are the remains of a castle which was first constructed in the 11th century, which was registered as a monument in 1875.^[8] The castle was the birthplace of Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile, daughter of Henry II, King of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine.<
• Church of Notre-Dame-sur-l'Eau an eleventh century church, registered as a Monument historique in 1840.^[9]
• Saint-Julien Church a twentieth century church, decorated internally by Jean Gaudin, it was registered as a Monument historique in 1993.^[10]
• City walls of Domfront, the walls were first constructed in 1014 by William of Bellême, and later improved on by Robert II, Count of Artois who added 24 enclosure towers.^[11] Today there are 14 remaining towers.^[11] The walls were registered as a monument in 1929.^[11]
• Lyvonnières Manor a seventeenth century manor house, registered as a Monument historique in 2005.^[12]
• Manoir de la Guyardière a sixteenth century manor house, registered as a Monument historique in 1992.^[13]
• Manoir de la Palue a sixteenth century manor house, registered as a Monument historique in 2004.^[14]
• Sausserie Manor a fourteenth century fortified house, registered as a Monument historique in 1955.^[15]

Notable People

• Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile - (– 1214), Queen of Castile and Toledo as wife of Alfonso VIII of Castile, was born here.
• Claude Duval - (1643 - 1670) a French highwayman in Restoration England, was born here.^[16]
• Émile Deshayes de Marcère - (1828 – 1918) a French politician, was born here.^[17]
• Auguste Chevalier - (1873 – 1956) a French botanist, taxonomist, and explorer of tropical Africa was born here, and later buried here at the Croix des Landes cemetery.^{[18] [19]}
• Gabriel Bablon - (1905 - 1956) a French army officer and Compagnon de la Libération was born here.^[20]

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France. Domfront en Poiraie is twinned with:^{[21] [22]}

• Burgwedel, Germany
• Seia, Portugal

See also

• Communes of the Orne department

Notes and References

1. Web site: Répertoire national des élus: les maires. data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022. fr.
2. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/arrete/2015/12/21/INTB1532157A/jo/texte Arrêté préfectoral
3. Web site: (Tourisme) Domfront a décroché le label Petite cité de caractère. 27 December 2015. actu.fr.
4. Web site: Domfront en Poiraie · 61700, France. Domfront en Poiraie · 61700, France.
5. Web site: INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500119 - Bassin de l'Andainette - Description.
6. Web site: Bassin de l’Andainette. Ministère de la Transition écologique.
7. Web site: Les Monuments Historiques en Orne - 61. monumentum.fr.
8. Web site: Château à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00110791. monumentum.fr.
9. Web site: Eglise Notre-Dame-sur-l'Eau ou Notre-Dame-sous-l'Eau à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00110792. monumentum.fr.
10. Web site: Eglise Saint-Julien à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00125312. monumentum.fr.
11. Web site: Enceinte de la ville à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00110793. monumentum.fr.
12. Web site: Manoir de Lyvonnières à Domfront en Poiraie - PA61000038. monumentum.fr.
13. Web site: Manoir de la Guyardière à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00111000. monumentum.fr.
14. Web site: Manoir de la Palue à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00110794. monumentum.fr.
15. Web site: Manoir de la Sausserie à Domfront en Poiraie - PA00110821. monumentum.fr.
16. Web site: Claude Duval: The archetypal dandy highwayman and embodiment of the English Restoration. Charlie. Connelly. 20 January 2022. The New European.
17. Web site: Emile Deshayes de Marcère - Base de données des députés français depuis 1789 - Assemblée nationale. www2.assemblee-nationale.fr.
18. Web site: Chevalier, Auguste Jean Baptiste (1873-1956) on JSTOR. plants.jstor.org.
19. Web site: 61 - PATRIMOINE FUNERAIRE DE L'ORNE : Etat des lieux - Cimetières de France et d'ailleurs. www.landrucimetieres.fr.
20. Web site: Gabriel BABLON. Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération.
21. Web site: 24 jumelages franco-allemands dans l'Orne. 21 January 2013. Ouest-France.fr.
22. Web site: A Domfront, la passion du vélo a consolidé leur amour. 9 February 2023. actu.fr.