Lonlay-l'Abbaye () is a commune in the

Orne Orne (; or ) is a département in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.department in north-western

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, situated midway between the towns of Domfront and Flers. It has a beautiful abbey and town square and is surrounded by walks and scenery, including the local viewpoint Fosse Arthur.

Geography

Lonlay-l'Abbaye shares a Natura 2000 protected area, Landes du Tertre Bizet et Fosse Arthour, with two other communes Domfront en Poiraie and Saint-Georges-de-Rouelley.

Points of interest

*Biscuiterie de l'Abbaye - is the factory of the Sablé de l’Abbaye biscuit that was first manufactured here in 1964, which today still produces biscuits and is open for tours.

National heritage sites

The Commune has two buildings and areas listed as a

Monument historique () is a designation given to some national heritage sites in France. It may also refer to the state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building, a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, ...

. *Notre-Dame Church: a thirteenth-century church that was registered as a monument in 1931. *Sarcophage creusé dans un rocher à la Thomassière: remains of a

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...

from the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, registered as a

in 1933.

Notable People

* René-Prosper Tassin - (1697 – 1777) a French historian was born here. * François Bidard - (1992) a French professional cyclist was born here.

Heraldry

Twin towns – sister cities

Lonlay-l'Abbaye is twinned with: *

Stogursey Stogursey is a small village and civil parish in the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England. It is situated from Nether Stowey, and west of Bridgwater. The village is situated near the Bristol Channel, which bounds the parish on the north. The ...

, in

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

, England ''(since 1985)''

References

Lonlaylabbaye Monuments historiques of Orne Tourist attractions in Orne {{Argentan-geo-stub