Alençon, lace town
Capital of the Orne, Alençon owes its fame to point d’Alençon, a needle lace listed on UNESCO’s intangible heritage since 2010. The Museum of Fine Arts and Lace, housed in a former Jesuit college, displays its finest pieces. Together you wander the lanes between the Notre-Dame basilica and the former grain hall, before sitting on a terrace along Grande Rue to extend the chat.
The Haras du Pin National Stud
Founded in 1715 at the request of Louis XIV, the Haras du Pin National Stud is nicknamed the Versailles of horses, for its grand château and horseshoe-shaped stables. In summer you attend the Jeudis du Pin, where carriages and equestrian shows parade in the main courtyard. A walk together among chestnut stallions and endless meadows, far from the noise, is a simple and uncommon gift for a first date.
Camembert village and Bagnoles
To the east, the little village of Camembert, which gave its name to the famous cheese invented by Marie Harel in 1791, is explored around the Maison du Camembert and the AOP-labelled farms. To the south, Bagnoles-de-l’Orne charms with its spa town and its large Belle Époque lake. On Lyad, members from the Orne share their favourite addresses; it is up to you to find someone to start the farm cheese tour with.
Date ideas
- Alençon
- Alençon needle lace
- Haras du Pin National Stud
- Camembert village
- Argentan
- Sées
- Bagnoles-de-l’Orne
