Tourouvre au Perche
Tourouvre au Perche | |
|---|---|
 The town hall in Tourouvre au Perche | |
Location of Tourouvre au Perche  | |
  Tourouvre au Perche  Tourouvre au Perche | |
| Coordinates: 48°35′24″N 0°39′07″E / 48.590°N 0.652°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Orne |
| Arrondissement | Mortagne-au-Perche |
| Canton | Tourouvre au Perche |
| Intercommunality | CC Hauts Perche |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Franck Poirier[1] |
| Area 1 | 93.76 km2 (36.20 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 3,023 |
| • Density | 32/km2 (84/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+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. | |
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]
The commune is listed as a Village étape.[4][5]
Population[edit]
| Year | Pop. | ±% 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[edit]
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[edit]
- 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[edit]
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[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ Arrêté préfectoral 21 December 2015 (in French)
- ^ "A Tourouvre, le label village étape c'est bon pour le tourisme". actu.fr. 24 September 2021.
- ^ "Tourouvre – Les Villages Étapes".
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- ^ [1] 22 July 2019 (in French)
- ^ "Les muséales de Tourouvre, Tourouvre, autre - infos et adresse". leparisien.fr.
- ^ "Clairière forestière de Bresolettes | Reserves Naturelles de France". www.reserves-naturelles.org.
- ^ "Eglise à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110991". monumentum.fr.
- ^ "Eglise à Tourouvre au Perche - PA61000051". monumentum.fr.
- ^ a b "Eglise à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110768". monumentum.fr.
- ^ "Eglise Notre-Dame à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110735". monumentum.fr.
- ^ "Manoir de Bellegarde à Tourouvre au Perche - PA00110962". monumentum.fr.
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