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Alencon
is a busy town in southern Normandy, just off the route of the
N12 running east/west from Paris to Brittany. Alencon
was traditionally known for its lace-making industry, its history
now housed in the Musee des Beaux-Arts et de la Dentelle. The
Chateau des Ducs is the old town castle close to the museum,
it looks impressive but is in fact a prison and does not encourage
visitors. Alencon has plenty of good shops and cafes in
the well-pedestrianised heart of the town. North of Alencon
is the Foret d'Ecouves, a dense forest of spruce, pine, oak and
beech, where ramblers may find wild mushrooms and even the odd
wild boar! |
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Normandy gets its name from the Viking Norsemen who
sailed up the River Seine in the 9th century and colonized the
area, making Rouen their capital. Normandy has large ports with
important transatlantic trade, whilst inland it is overwhelmingly
agricultural. The image of Normandy is one of a lush, tranquil,
pastoral region of apple orchards, contented cattle, Calvados
and Camembert. There are ancient picturesque ports such as Honfleur
to visit, seaside resorts with elegant promenades, splendid centuries-old
half-timbered manor houses lining quiet countryside lanes and
extrordinary Romanesque and Gothic architectural treasures. |