Situated between Paris and Mont Saint Michel, and less than two hours away from both, Alençon and the area called "Pays d'Alençon" straddles the departments of Orne (Normandy) and Sarthe (Pays de Loire).

The Pays d'Alençon is made up of seven distinct regions: Alençon (the main town of the Orne) Carrouges, Sées, Courtomer, Essay, Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe and Mamers.

Each offers a wide selection of accommodation, popular leisure activities, natural attractions and historic sites to the visitor.

Chateaux, gardens, outdoor activities (rambling, cycling, horse riding, canoeing), forest walks and medieval history are the main tourist attractions of this area.