Bagnoles-de-l'Orne is a former 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 northwestern France. On 1 January 2000, Tessé-la-Madeleine and Bagnoles-de-l'Orne merged becoming one town called Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, however, it adopted the former

Insee code The INSEE code ( ) is a numerical indexing code used by the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (France), French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) to identify various entities, including c ...

of Tessé-la-Madeleine (61483) for identification purposes. It is classed as a Petites Cités de Caractère. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne-Normandie.

Population

Spa

This commune is famous for its

Hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and Physical therapy, physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and ...

baths, which are known for their supposed healing powers for rheumatic, gynaecologic and circulatory problems. The origins of thermal activity are said to date back to 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 ...

. The spa is centred on the lake, which is formed by the River La Vée, a tributary of the

Mayenne Mayenne ( ) is a landlocked department in northwest France named after the river Mayenne. Mayenne is part of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Manche, Orne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Il ...

, before it enters a deep gorge cut through the massif of the Andaines Forest. Local legend tells of the medieval lord, Seigneur Hugues de Tessé. Believing that his once-glorious horse, "Rapide", was reaching the end of its life, Seigneur Hugues decided to abandon it in the Andaines Forest. He was amazed when the animal returned home some time later, strong and totally revitalized. Without resentment, "Rapide" took its master along to the waters of Bagnoles where he drank and was also rejuvenated. The spa was born. According to another tale, a very old Franciscan friar who took the waters in Bagnoles found a new astonishing vigour and leapt across the highest rocks above the town, which are still called "Le Saut du Capucin" (The Monk's Leap). Another facet of this fascinating place is the

Arthurian legend The Matter of Britain (; ; ; ) is the body of medieval literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and Brittany and the legendary kings and heroes associated with it, particularly King Arthur. The 12th-century writer Geoffr ...

, since Bagnoles and its surroundings are supposed to be

Lancelot Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), alternatively written as Launcelot and other variants, is a popular character in the Matter of Britain, Arthurian legend's chivalric romance tradition. He is typically depicted as King Arthu ...

's country. The village's calendar of cultural events includes a visit of the most famous Arthurian sites.

The "Belle Époque" Quarter

The "

Belle Époque The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...

" Quarter in Bagnoles-de-l'Orne constitutes a rather well preserved example of what could be classed as a typical early 20th century French bourgeoise residential area. Built between 1886 and 1914 and located in the southern part of the town, it is filled with superb villas with polychrome façades,

bow window A bow window or compass window is a curved bay window. Like bay windows, bow windows add space to a room by projecting beyond the exterior wall of a building and provide a wider view of the garden or street outside than flush windows, but combine ...

s and unique roofing. Similar projects were developed throughout France at the same time, among which are

Le Vésinet Le Vésinet () is a suburban Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in north-central France. It is a part of the affluent outer suburbs of western Paris, from ...

close to Paris, the Saurupt Park in Nancy and the "Winter Town" of

Arcachon Arcachon (; ) is a commune in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest. It has a sandy beach and a mild climate said to be favourable for p ...

. Built under strict construction regulations and intended for well-off 'curists', that is, those attending the spa facilities, the idea of a residential area right in the heart of the

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

forest attracted a very wealthy clientele. Moreover, when it was built, going to thermal pools was not generally popular, but seen, rather, as being associated with elitism, luxury and the aspirations of the privileged social classes, who took pleasure in promoting nature as a place of healing. For this reason, Bagnoles-de-l'Orne is also known for the many prestigious visitors who have lived there at various times: the King and the Queen of Romania, Frank Jay Gould, the Prince of Montenegro, the Prince of Greece, Princess Bibesco, the Princess of Batenberg,

Édouard Herriot Édouard Marie Herriot (; 5 July 1872 – 26 March 1957) was a French Radical politician of the Third Republic who served three times as Prime Minister (1924–1925; 1926; 1932) and twice as President of the Chamber of Deputies. He led the f ...

, Alexandre Dumas (the father), and even the Maharani of

Kapurthala Kapurthala () is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent b ...

. The architectural opulence of constructions such as the Villas "Printania", "Le Castel", or the so-called "Swedish Country cottage" as well as the presence of large lavish hotels gives a good idea of the stunning taste of the "

Fin de siècle "''Fin de siècle''" () is a French term meaning , a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom '' turn of the century'' and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without co ...

" period. Being inspired by the Norman neo-regionalist style, as can be found in the

Côte Fleurie The Côte Fleurie () (or Flowery Coast) stretches for approximately between Merville-Franceville-Plage, at the mouth of the Orne river, opposite Ouistreham to the west and Honfleur on the Seine estuary in the east. It forms part of the eastern ...

''(Flowered coast)'' resorts of

Deauville Deauville () is a communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados department, Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, northwestern France. Major attractions include its port, harbour, Race track, race course, marinas, con ...

, or Trouville, there can easily be said to be a distinct "Bagnolais" architectural style.

Art Deco architecture

After the long break caused by World War I, the development of tourism in Bagnoles-de-l'Orne eventually continued. During this second period of great affluence, known in France as "Les Années Folles" ("

Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western world, Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultura ...

"), the success of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne increased. The thermal season was filled with classical music concerts, horse races at the Hippodrome, golf tournaments as well as other sophisticated leisure activities. The demand for entertainment was high and a second casino was eventually built. In keeping with the height of fashion, the buildings erected during this period were highly influenced by the "

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

" style, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Probably the most interesting examples of this type of architecture are the "Casino du Lac", built in 1927 by the renowned architect Auguste Bluysen, and the "Saint Jean-Baptiste Church" (1934–1935), which is registered as a listed building. Both buildings have met the challenge to integrate well with the greenery of the surrounding landscape, while adding a touch of modern design, based on the use of geometric shapes and shades of white.

Heraldry

The Henri Cibois and Benjamin Saunier affair

The story of the attack and robbery against the Goupil widow, in the Tessé-la-Madeleine quarter of Bagnoles, in 1907, is well known in the area. At the end of the reign of Louis XVI, the Goupil family lived in quite modest circumstances in Tessé, which was the original village and is now a part of Bagnoles. The Goupil had two sons, Jean and Louis, who, having both been missing since the French Revolution, reappeared and settled back in Tessé, in 1829. In 1825, they set about building a grand house called, at that time, "Le Logis", on the Place de L'Eglise. The locals expressed surprise at the Goupil brothers' apparent sudden rise to prosperity. The brothers died in 1850, taking with them the secret of their financial success. Soon after their death, Anne-Marie Goupil, the daughter of Jean and young wife, and so, widow of Louis, built a new house known as the "Chateau Goupil", which is now known as Château de la Roche Bagnoles and is Bagnoles' present Town Hall. Madame Goupil moved into the chateau and continued to live there for the rest of her life, with her son and daughter. The locals were said to be suspicious of where the Goupil had originally gained their wealth, but whether or not that led to the events which brought about the attack on Madame Goupil is not known. On the night of 3 to 4 December 1907, Henri Cibois, a 24-year-old wheelwright, broke into the chateau with seventeen-year-old lumberman, Benjamin Saunier. Madame Goupil, now seventy-two years old, was beaten unconscious and suffered multiple stab wounds. Cibois and Saunier stole 700 francs, jewellery and three bottles of champagne. For his crime, Henri Cibois went to the guillotine on 11 August 1908, with his accomplice, Benjamin Saunier being condemned to twenty years hard labour.

Assassination of Carlo and Nello Rosselli

Carlo Rosselli Carlo Alberto Rosselli (16 November 18999 June 1937) was an Italian political leader, journalist, historian, philosopher and anti-fascist activist, first in Italy and then abroad. He developed a theory of reformist, non-Marxist socialism inspir ...

(1899–1937) was a famous Italian socialist intellectual and activist during the years between World War I and World War II. He devoted his whole life and large amounts of money to the anti-fascist fight against Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco. He and his brother, Nello, were assassinated in Bagnoles-de-l'Orne on June 9, 1937,Stanislao G. Puglies
Death in Exile: The Assassination of Carlo Rosselli
''

Journal of Contemporary History The ''Journal of Contemporary History'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering the study of history in all parts of the world since 1930. It was established in 1966 by Walter Laqueur and George L. Mosse. Originally published by ...

'', 32 (1997), pp. 305-319 by a group of "''cagoulards''", militants of the "

Cagoule A cagoule (, also spelled cagoul, kagoule or kagool), is the British English term for a lightweight weatherproof raincoat or anorak with a hood (usually without lining), which often comes in knee-length form.The Chambers Dictionary, 1994, The Ca ...

", a French fascist group, probably on the orders of

Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his overthrow in 194 ...

Digital television

Lower Normandy, including Bagnoles, was the first region in France, together with Alsace, to change over completely to digital television reception, giving more channels with a higher quality of image and sound to residents. Digital signals were broadcast alongside analogue from December 2009 until March 2010, when the analogue signal was switched off.

Notable buildings and places

Château de la Roche Bagnoles is now the Town hall which features an

Arboretum An arboretum (: arboreta) is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees and shrubs of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, many modern arbor ...

that was created in 1859. It features approximately 168 varieties of Trees Le Jardin Retiré is a 2500m² garden open to the public specialising in plants that thrive in shade. Image:BagnolesOrne32.JPG, Garden near the lake Image:BagnolesOrne5.JPG, The ''Hotel des Thermes'' Image:BagnolesOrne8.JPG, ''La Vée'' river Image:BagnolesOrne3.JPG, Town Hall - also known as Chateau Goupil Image:BagnolesOrne4.JPG, ''Pavillon des Fleurs'' Image:BagnolesOrne25.JPG, Church ''Saint-Jean-Baptiste'' Image:BagnolesOrne14.JPG, The lake Image:BagnolesOrne26.JPG, ''Bagnole de l'Orne''

Sport

*Hippodrome de Bagnoles-de-l’Orne - Is a Race course that has three days of racing every July and August. *Golf d'Andaine is a 9 hole golf course in the commune.

Notable People

* Henry Jean-Baptiste - (1933 – 2018) a French politician who is buried here. * Tania Balachova - (1902-1973) a French actress and director of Russian origin died here.

Transport

Bagnoles-de-l'Orne station has rail connections to

Argentan Argentan () is a commune and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in northwestern France. As of 2019, Argentan is the third largest municipality by population in the Orne department.

, Briouze and Flers.Plan du réseau
TER Normandie, accessed 24 September 2023.

References

External links

Excerpt from the diary of Mary King Waddington on her visit to Bagnoles de l'Orne at the height of the Belle Epoque, with photos and images

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Thermal Baths website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bagnolesdelorne Former communes of Orne Gardens in Orne Arboreta in France Sport in Orne Horse racing venues in France