Tourouvre au Perche

Tourouvre au Perche (French pronunciation: [tuʁuvʁ o pɛʁʃ]) is a commune in the department of Orne, northwestern France. The municipality was established on 1 January 2016 by merger of the former communes of Autheuil, Bivilliers, Bresolettes, Bubertré, Champs, Lignerolles, La Poterie-au-Perche, Prépotin, Randonnai and Tourouvre (the seat).[3]

Tourouvre au Perche
Commune
The town hall in Tourouvre au Perche
The town hall in Tourouvre au Perche
Location of Tourouvre au Perche
Tourouvre au Perche is located in France
Tourouvre au Perche
Tourouvre au Perche
Tourouvre au Perche is located in Normandy
Tourouvre au Perche
Tourouvre au Perche
Coordinates: 48°35′24″N 0°39′07″E
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentOrne
ArrondissementMortagne-au-Perche
CantonTourouvre au Perche
IntercommunalityCC Hauts Perche
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Franck Poirier[1]
Area
1
93.76 km2 (36.20 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
3,023
 • Density32/km2 (84/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
61491 /61190
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The commune is listed as a Village étape.[4][5]

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 3,602—    
1975 4,020+1.58%
1982 3,768−0.92%
1990 3,377−1.36%
1999 3,311−0.22%
2007 3,361+0.19%
2012 3,339−0.13%
2017 3,127−1.30%
Source: INSEE[6]

Wattway

On 22 December 2016, the world's first solar-panel road - the Wattway on the RD5 road - was inaugurated. It was covered with 2,800 square meters of electricity-generating panels. The panels are covered with a resin containing fine sheets of silicon, making them tough enough to withstand all traffic. The project cost 5m Euros. On 22 July 2019 it was reported to be a colossal failure.[7]

Main sights and notable buildings
  • Les Muséales de Tourouvre: this site houses two museums - The Museum of French Emigration to Canada and The Museum of Commerce and Brands[8]
  • Réserve Naturelle Régionale de la Clairière Forestière de Bresolettes: a 780 hectare local nature reserve.[9]

National Heritage sites

The Commune has a total of 5 buildings and areas listed as a Monument historique.

  • Tourouvre Church - 15th century church, added as a monument in 1991.[10]
  • Bivilliers Church - 12th century church, added as a monument in 2006.[11]
  • Saint-Evroult Church - 11th century church, added as a monument in 1965.[12] According to legend the church was built after Hugh the Great had pillaged the Abbey of Saint-Evroul in 944, when his jesters started mocking the holy objects they were struck by lightning, and the church built on the location of this event.[12]
  • Notre-Dame Church - built in the Middle Ages, added as a monument in 1875.[13]
  • Bellegarde Manor - a 15th century manor house, added as a monument in 1978.[14]
  • La Gagnonniere - historical site that was once an inn run by Barnabé Gagnon. His 3 grandsons were recruited to help build New France, otherwise known as Quebec. Barnabé is the first recorded Gagnon ancestor.

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tourouvre au Perche.
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. Arrêté préfectoral 21 December 2015 (in French)
  4. "A Tourouvre, le label village étape c'est bon pour le tourisme". actu.fr. 24 September 2021.
  5. "Tourouvre – Les Villages Étapes".
  6. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  7. 22 July 2019 (in French)
  8. "Les muséales de Tourouvre, Tourouvre, autre - infos et adresse". leparisien.fr.
  9. "Clairière forestière de Bresolettes | Reserves Naturelles de France". www.reserves-naturelles.org.
  10. "Eglise à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110991". monumentum.fr.
  11. "Eglise à Tourouvre au Perche - PA61000051". monumentum.fr.
  12. "Eglise à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110768". monumentum.fr.
  13. "Eglise Notre-Dame à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110735". monumentum.fr.
  14. "Manoir de Bellegarde à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110962". monumentum.fr.
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