Bellême

Bellême (French pronunciation: ​[bɛlɛm]) is a commune in the Orne department in northwestern France. The musicologist Guillaume André Villoteau (1759–1839) was born in Bellême; as was Aristide Boucicaut (1810-1877), owner of Le Bon Marché, the world's first department store.

Bellême
Commune
An aerial view of Bellême
Coat of arms
Location of Bellême
Bellême
Bellême
Coordinates: 48°22′38″N 0°33′41″E
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentOrne
ArrondissementMortagne-au-Perche
CantonCeton
Government
 • MayorRoussel
Area
1
1.71 km2 (0.66 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
1,464
 • Density860/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
61038 /61130
Elevation162–230 m (531–755 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Location

At the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional du Perche, in the Orne Department, Bellême is on a hill that dominates the Perche area.

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±%
17932,771—    
18002,708−2.3%
18062,862+5.7%
18213,103+8.4%
18363,263+5.2%
18413,143−3.7%
18463,350+6.6%
18513,126−6.7%
18563,130+0.1%
18613,153+0.7%
18663,108−1.4%
18723,199+2.9%
18762,935−8.3%
18812,825−3.7%
18862,656−6.0%
18912,563−3.5%
18962,599+1.4%
19012,627+1.1%
19062,338−11.0%
19112,187−6.5%
19211,944−11.1%
19261,992+2.5%
19311,938−2.7%
19361,792−7.5%
19461,697−5.3%
19541,627−4.1%
19621,844+13.3%
19681,742−5.5%
19751,843+5.8%
19821,849+0.3%
19901,788−3.3%
19991,774−0.8%
20091,547−12.8%

Heraldry
Arms of Bellême
 The arms of Bellême are blazoned :
Sable, a triple-towered keep Or.

or
Azure semy de lys Or, a bordure gules bezanty (Or).

Sights
  • Church of Saint-Sauveur 15th century, 16th century, rebuilt between 1675 and 1710.
  • Crypt of the Saint-Santin Chapel, dating from the tenth century.
  • Château Gatehouse 15th century, and Moat.
  • Remains of the Ramparts, bearing a plaque commemorating the capture of the château and the town by King Saint Louis and his mother, Blanche of Castile in 1229.
  • 17th century and eighteenth century houses.
  • 17th century Hôtel de ville.
  • Sundials on rue du Château, place de la République and place Liègeard.

Landscape
  • The town is built around the crest of a natural bowl, in which sits an outdoor lido (swimming pool), moto-cross circuit, stables and an expansive 18-hole golf course with adjacent hotel and holiday apartments.

Events
  • Les Mycologiades internationales : Annual international wild mushroom festival.

International relations

Bellême is twinned with:

Sports
  • The town's football club, FC Pays Bellêmois, compete in the Ligue de Football Basse-Normandie and the Coupe de France, playing their home games at the town's Terrain Intercommunal.
  • Moto Club Bellêmois hosts motocross events that welcome an international field of competitors.
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See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
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