Merlerault-le-Pin () 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. It was formed on 1 January 2025, with the merger of Les Authieux-du-Puits, La Genevraie, Godisson, Le Merlerault and Nonant-le-Pin.

Geography

The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, La Butte, La Reboursière, La Chauvinière, Les Terres Noires,Les Mandrettes, Nonant-le-Pin, Le Merlerault, La Chambre, La Guerrie, Les Carrés, Les Mares, Montmarcé, La Cailletière, La Patte-d'Oie, Les Authieux-du-Puits, Carnettes, Les Foutelées, Les Houx, Le Varo, La Chevallerie, Le Tertre, Les Clos, Le Prieuré, Le Moncel, Le Cerisier, La Bêchetière, Ferme des Herbages, Le Tourniquet, Le Marais, Godisson, La Lamberderie, La Teunebeuverie, La Roussière, Le Mesnil-Hurel and La Dauphinerie. The Commune is one of 27 communes that make up the

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...

protected area of

Bocages et vergers du sud Pays d'Auge Bocages et vergers du sud Pays d'Auge translated as the Bocages and orchards of the southern Pays d'Auge is a Natura 2000 conservation area that is 21,511 hectares in size. Geography The area is a well-preserved wooded landscape that features ...

. Merlerault-le-Pin along with another 65 communes is part of a 20,593 hectare,

conservation area, called the

Haute vallée de l'Orne et affluents Haute vallée de l'Orne et affluents translated as the Upper Orne Valley and tributaries is a Natura 2000 conservation area that is 20,593 hectares in size. The site is managed by CPIE Collines normandes. Geography The area is focused on the sou ...

. Merlerault-le-Pin has 3 rivers that run through it, the Dieuge the Don and the Ure. The commune also has six streams flowing through its borders the Saint-Martin, Monts Damain, la Genevraie, Bois Guimon, Brullemail and the Varo.

Climate

Merlerault-le-Pin benefits from an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

with mild winters and temperate summers.

Points of interest

National heritage sites

*Ensemble castral remains of a medieval residence with a circular mound located in Le Merlerault, it was registered 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, ...

in 1989.

Notable People

Foulques du Merle Foulques or Foucaud du Merle (died 1314) was a Marshal of France. He was French nobility, Seigneur of Gacé and Bellou-en-Houlme, and Baron of Le Merlerault, Briouze and Messei. Du Merle was the son of Guillaume VI du Merle and Marie de Nollent. ...

- (1239 - 1314) was

Seigneur A seigneur () or lord is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. The seigneur owned a seigneurie, seigneury, or lordship—a form of ...

Gacé Gacé () is a Communes of France, commune in the Orne Departments of France, department in Lower-Normandy, north-western France. The commune is part of the area known as Pays d'Auge. Geography The commune is made up of the following collection ...

and

Bellou-en-Houlme Bellou-en-Houlme is a commune in the Orne department in northwestern France. Geography The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, La Forêterie,Laubesnière, Le Val du Breuil, La Longrais,Le Clos,Le Pont and B ...

, and Baron of Le Merlerault,

Briouze Briouze () is a Communes of France, commune in the Orne department of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy in northwestern France. It is considered the capital of the ''pays d'Houlme'' at the western end of the Orne in the Norman bocage. W ...

and Messei. * Charles-Paul Landon (1760 - 1826), a French painter and popular writer on art and artists, was born here. *

François Pouqueville François Charles Hugues Laurent Pouqueville (; 4 November 1770 – 20 December 1838) was a French diplomat, writer, explorer, physician and historian, and member of the Institut de France. He traveled extensively throughout Ottoman-occupied G ...

- (1770 – 1838) a French diplomat, writer, explorer, physician and historian, and member of the

Institut de France The ; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the . It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute manages approximately ...

was born here. *

Marie Duplessis Marie Duplessis (born Alphonsine Rose Plessis; 15 January 1824 – 3 February 1847) was a French courtesan and mistress to a number of prominent and wealthy men. She was the inspiration for Marguerite Gautier, the main character of the 1848 nov ...

(1824-1847), a French courtesan and mistress to a number of prominent and wealthy men was born here. She was the inspiration for Marguerite Gautier, the main character of the 1848 novel

The Lady of the Camellias ''The Lady of the Camellias'' (), sometimes called ''Camille'' in English, is a novel by Alexandre Dumas fils, Alexandre Dumas ''fils''. First published in 1848 and subsequently Theatrical adaptation, adapted by Dumas for the Drama, stage, the pl ...

. *

Léon Labbé Léon Labbé (29 September 1832 – 21 March 1916) was a French surgeon and politician who was born in the village of Le Merlerault in the department of Orne. He was an uncle to physician Charles Labbé (1851–1889), who first described the in ...

- (1832 – 1916) a French surgeon and politician was born here.

Transport

Le Merlerault 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.

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

and Granville.

Twin towns – sister cities

Le Merlerault is twinned with: *

Collingbourne Ducis Collingbourne Ducis is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, about south of Marlborough, Wiltshire, Marlborough. It is one of several villages on the River Bourne, Wiltshire, River Bou ...

, United Kingdom ''(since 1992)''

References

{{authority control Merleraultlepin Monuments historiques of Orne