Orne of a kind: the ‘Cotswolds of France’ that remains a hidden gem

The beautiful, sleepy department of Orne in the north-west of France is often overlooked. Wealthy Parisians however, know full well that Orne is easily accessible for the weekend and more than one celebrity has a second home there.

Orne is roughly divided into five 'pays': 

- Le 'Pays d'Alençon' – lace-making, fine architecture, extensive forests, and Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, the beloved painters' village, which is also one of France's 'Plus Beaux Villages'.

- The 'Région des Haras et Pays d'Auge' – rolling hills, horses galore, and endless apple and pear orchards.

- The 'Bocage Ornais et Suisse Normande' – the highest hills, lookout spots, sunken lanes, and the medieval town of Domfront.

- 'La Perche' – often compared to the Cotswolds of 50 years ago, with cute cottages, tearooms, and woodlands.

- 'Le Pays d'Ouche' – lots of rivers and lakes, with houses built of brick rather than stone.

The whole department is steeped in history and home to a variety of chateaux and manor houses which are open to the public. 

Château de Carrouges

The most-visited is the fully-furnished 14th-Century Château de Carrouges, with its moat and formal gardens. Access is via the turreted gatehouse and a bridge over the moat. The guided tour is only in French, and the staff are known to close early so do not try to squeeze in just before closing time. 

In contrast, in Domfront the château lies in ruins, having been demolished in 1610 by Henri IV. It is interesting to wander around before exploring the medieval village centre. Note the traditional wooden tiles protecting the house fronts. 

This year, the bi-annual festival Les Médiévales de Domfront will be held on August 1-3, including market stalls, street performances, a medieval encampment, jousting, music and dancing, a medieval horse circus, an artisans’ market and, of course, a huge public banquet. 

For true living history fans, the Rustik theme park in Chailloué offers the nearest thing to a trip back in time. Dressed in medieval clothes, visitors take part in immersive adventures or training experiences lasting anything from four to 10 hours.

Orne yer horse, Orne yer bike…

Orne is horsey heaven. As well as a host of riding centres, there is the prestigious Haras du Pin. This 'Versailles for Horses' was built by Louis XIV as a stud farm, and is now a heritage centre. The fabulous buildings have not changed, but a new competition centre has been added, cleverly concealed by landscaping and trees.

You can get tickets to explore the stables and spend all day patting the horses, watching them being washed and groomed, taking in an equine show, talking to grooms and riders, taking photos and exploring the extensive grounds (they have golf buggies and bicycles for hire). There are also guided tours of the château. 

Heavy horses, meanwhile, are the stars at the glorious La Michaudière - Ferme de Cheval du Trait, near Domfront. The farm does not breed horses nor even teach riding; it exists solely to demonstrate all the disciplines you can teach a heavy horse.

The Percheron heavy horse was bred in Orne for centuries, for agricultural and military duties, and exported to the US as well as used across Europe. After World War Two, demand for Percherons declined catastrophically and the breed only survived in France because it was bred for meat.

You can tour the farm admiring the horses and quirky sculptures, and eat lunch in their restaurant before enjoying the show and a glass of cider or hot chocolate afterwards for an all-in price of €44 – or you can just see the show for €17. 

Read more: Which French departments are most popular with retirees?

Riding in Orne

As for riding, in Orne you are spoilt for choice, as there are all kinds of riding centres including Western and classic, adapted to all kinds of riders. There are also several horse-racing courses. The tourist offices have details.

For those who prefer a bike saddle, cycling is also a big thing in Orne. There are two voies vertes (greenways) which follow disused railway lines. These are ideal because they are mainly on the flat, and are away from cars. These link up with three national véloroutes, the Véloscénie, the Vélo Francette and the Vélobuissonnière. 

The first, opened in 2004, runs 30km from Le Selle la Forge on the outskirts of Flers to Saint-Roch-sur-Egrenne via Domfront, and then extends westwards to the Mont-Saint-Michel and north to Caen and Cabourg.

The second, opened in 2010, runs 67km from Alençon to Condé-sur-Huisne, through the Regional Natural Parks of Perche and Normandie-Maine. It has 'aires de repos' every 5km, where you can relax or even enjoy a picnic, and also includes 42km which is also accessible to horseriders.

Fishing and hiking, or simply strolling through the woods is also popular. A good starting point is the Roche d'Oëtre, an outcrop in Saint-Philibert-sur-Orne in the far north of the department. This is a protected natural reserve, home to a number of protected species of flora and fauna. There is a boutique, tourist information, children's playground, a restaurant and café as well as free parking. The southerly views are breath-taking, but small children should be carried as there are no barriers at the edge of the cliff.

Anyone wishing to see all this from the air can contact the aerodromes in Mortagne, Alençon, Bagnoles, Argentan, and L'Aigle. All offer discovery flights, or even flying lessons should you be so inclined.

For shopping, try beautiful Belleme, which has independent boutiques, antique shops and a good selection of restaurants in and around the walled citadel.

Read more: From lightsabers to hobby horses: five unusual sports in France

Orne the water

The spa town of Bagnoles de l'Orne was constructed around an ornamental, artificial lake designed to look as pretty as a picture. There is an entire quartier filled with Belle Epoque villas, a casino, mini-golf, a selection of chocolate shops and restaurants and, of course, the hot thermal water spa. 

The thermes receive medical patients who spend three weeks having a 'cure', ie. hot water treatments every morning. In the same building but with a separate entrance is the spa, which uses the same facilities in the afternoons for people seeking relaxation and wellness.

Spa-goers who pay for a treatment get free access to the bubbly water walkway, the thermal hot water pool, the relaxing rooms (one of which is midnight dark so you can sleep if you like) and various spaces where they serve herbal teas and other drinks. There is no time limit, you can stay all afternoon. 

You can also sunbathe by the lake, or take a pedalo out – but you cannot swim in it as it is too shallow. The lakeside leisure resort of La Ferté-Macé is only 5km away, with swimming, a children's play park, sailing, canoes, kayaks, water-skiing, pedalos, paddle-boarding, karting, picnic areas, mini-golf, camping, an aqua-park, a skate-park and a restaurant.

For those who like to play in the water all year round, all the towns have swimming pools. The Capfl'O in Flers has pools, a wave pool, slides, jacuzzis, sauna and hammam. The Centre Aquatique in Argentan has a selection of pools, a slide, a jacuzzi, a solarium, a hammam and a sauna.

Read more: Vernet-les-Bains – France's only flourishing 'Village d’Arboretum'

Camembert and other treats

It is best to visit Camembert early in the morning, around 9:00-10:00, so you can see the Fromagerie de Beaumoncel making the cheeses just down the lane from the actual village of Camembert. They usually finish by around 11:00. 

The village is tiny, containing a mairie, a museum, visitor centre and a sprinkle of houses. Start at the museum, which is surprisingly well-curated, and then cross the street to the visitor centre for a tasting (included in the entrance ticket to the museum) and browse the shop for souvenirs. 

As a rough guide, the pasteurised cheeses tend to have a milder flavour than the raw milk cheeses. Do not forget to nip upstairs and check out artist Isabelle Mallet's permanent exhibition before you leave the village. 

Read also: From cheese to sewing needles: nine facts about the French department of Orne

In the commune, of the four cheese makers still working, only two others are open to the public: the Fromagerie Durand (the farm and farm shop is open Tues-Sat) and La Ferme de l'Instière (phone ahead to arrange a visit and take cash as they don't accept cards). 

Although Orne is home to Camembert, all dairy products are celebrated here; try the local butter, cream and yoghurt, too. 

The Normandy love of pancakes means Orne has a lot of pancake restaurants, serving savoury as well as sweet crêpes, and cider or poiré (like cider but made of pears) are the traditional accompanying tipples. 

To find out more about the latter, visit Thierry Boisgontier at Les Vergers des Martellières near Domfort. He and his daughter Louise are the fourth and fifth generations of the family making poiré on the farm, and he also produces pommeau and a drink he calls “Poirissimo”. Ring in advance to book a visit and a tasting. 

If you are near Camembert, visit La Galotiére, where the accent is on apples rather than pears.

Tripe is also inexplicably popular in Orne and, being so close to the coast, the department is blessed with fishmongers, so restaurants generally offer lots of fish dishes.

Try something completely different in Alençon: the A Kaboul restaurant is run by an Afghanistan family who have been in France for 35 years. As well as authentic cuisine from Kabul, they offer local seafood dishes and burgers. The welcome is friendly, the food fantastic and if you can't finish the generous portions, they are happy for you to take the rest away.