Bellou-en-Houlme

Bellou-en-Houlme
Commune
The church in Bellou-en-Houlme
Location of Bellou-en-Houlme
Bellou-en-Houlme Show map of France Bellou-en-Houlme Show map of Normandy
Coordinates: 48°41′29″N 0°26′32″W
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Orne
Arrondissement	Argentan
Canton	La Ferté-Macé
Intercommunality	CA Flers Agglo
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Jean-Marie Gaudin[1]
Area ^1	38.73 km^2 (14.95 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	1,031
• Density	27/km^2 (69/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	61040 /61220
Elevation	202–332 m (663–1,089 ft) (avg. 221 m or 725 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Bellou-en-Houlme is a commune in the Orne department in northwestern France.[3]

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 Bellou-en-Houlme.[4]

There are 10 watercourses that traverse through the commune, two rivers The Val du Breuil, and The Gine, in addition to eight streams. The eight streams are the Laurenciere, the Roussieres, la Haie, the Grand Ros, La Prevostiere, the Loget, the Lange and La Source Philippe.

Bellou-en-Houlme also has the largest marsh in the Orne department, shared with Briouze at 167.41 Ha, called the Grand-Hazé.[5]

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	1,072	—
1975	926	−2.07%
1982	961	+0.53%
1990	912	−0.65%
1999	954	+0.50%
2009	1,096	+1.40%
2014	1,115	+0.34%
2020	1,053	−0.95%
Source: INSEE[6]

Points of Interest

Grand-Hazé is a 500 acres of Marshland that has been under the protection of the Natura 2000 since 2002, that is shared with Briouze.[7][5] The Marshland features Camargue horses and Highland cattle.[8]

National heritage sites

The Commune has one buildings listed as a Monument historique, which is the Château de Dieufit, a farm house built in 1862, and listed in 2012.[9]

Notable People

• Foulques du Merle - (1239 - 1314) was Seigneur of Gacé and Bellou-en-Houlme, and Baron of Le Merlerault, Briouze and Messei.[10]

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Bellou-en-Houlme is twinned with:[11]

• Wehretal, Germany

See also

• Communes of the Orne department

References

1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 9 August 2021.
2. "Populations de référence 2022" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 19 December 2024.
3. "Commune de Bellou-en-Houlme (61040)". INSEE.
4. "Bellou-en-Houlme · 61220, France". Bellou-en-Houlme · 61220, France.
5. "INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500092 - Marais du Grand Hazé - Description".
6. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
7. "Le Marais du Grand-Hazé BRIOUZE : Normandy Tourism". Normandy Tourism, France.
8. "Le Marais du Grand-Hazé - Patrimoine naturel - BRIOUZE". Orne Tourisme.
9. "Château de Dieufit à Bellou-en-Houlme - PA61000062".
10. Louis de La Roque, Catalog historique des généraux français, connétables, maréchaux de France, lieutenants généraux, maréchaux de camp. Connétables et maréchaux de France depuis les premiers temps de la monarchie jusqu'à la fin du règne de Louis XIV (Paris, A. Desaide, 1896-1902), p.25.
11. "24 jumelages franco-allemands dans l'Orne". Ouest-France.fr. 21 January 2013.