Orne
Details
Information
Number	61
Region	Basse-Normandie
Prefecture	Alençon
Subprefecture	Argentan Mortagne-au-Perche
Population  - Total (1999)  - Density	Ranked 73rd 292,337 48 /km²
Area	6,103 km²
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	40
Communes	505
President of the general council	Gérard Burel
Location

Orne is a département in the northwest of France named after the Orne River.

History

Orne was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Normandie and Perche .

Geography

Orne is in the current region of Basse-Normandie and is surrounded by the departments of Eure, Eure-et-Loir, Sarthe, Mayenne, and Calvados; it is the only departement of Basse Normandie and Haute Normandie to be landlocked.

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Ornais.

Culture

Camembert, the village where Camembert cheese was first made, is located in Orne.

External links

• Prefecture website (in French)
• Conseil Général website (in French)
• http://www.ornetourisme.com/site_EN.htm (in English)