Ménil-Hermei

Ménil-Hermei (French pronunciation: [menil ɛʁmɛ] ^ⓘ) is a commune in the Orne department in the Normandy region of north-western France.

Ménil-Hermei
Commune
The church in Ménil-Hermei
Location of Ménil-Hermei
Ménil-Hermei Show map of France Ménil-Hermei Show map of Normandy
Coordinates: 48°49′38″N 0°19′30″W
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Orne
Arrondissement	Argentan
Canton	Athis-Val de Rouvre
Intercommunality	Val d'Orne
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Katia Halluin[1]
Area 1	6.61 km2 (2.55 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]	202
• Density	31/km2 (79/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	61267 /61210
Elevation	63–216 m (207–709 ft) (avg. 171 m or 561 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

The commune of Ménil-Hermei is part of the area known as Suisse Normande.^[3]

The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, Ménil-Hermei, La Viéville, Le Mois and Le Vivier.

The Commune with another 20 communes shares part of a 2,115 hectare, Natura 2000 conservation area, called the Vallée de l'Orne et ses affluents.^[4]

The commue has two rivers flowing through it, the Orne and its tributary the Baize.^[5]

Administration

The mayor is Katia Halluin, elected in 2020.^[1]

Demography

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	208	—
1975	203	−0.35%
1982	210	+0.49%
1990	176	−2.18%
1999	155	−1.40%
2007	190	+2.58%
2012	211	+2.12%
2017	203	−0.77%
Source: INSEE[7]

History

• In 1321, Jean de Corday bought the fief of Mesnil-Hermey.
• In 1465, the title of nobility of Raoul de Corday du Mesnil-Hermé is confirmed.
• In 1505, Marguerite - the daughter of Guillaume "Raoult", Esquire, Lord of Mesnil-Hermey - marries Thomas Williamson, a Scottish knight staying in France with the French king, Charles VIII).
• In the 18th century, the land of Mesnil-Hermey belonged to the Marquis de Rabodanges.

Places of interest

• The valley of the river Orne with:
  • the raised stone which bygone people named: "Pierre à Gargantua".
  • the rock called "Bec Corbin", dominating the river, at the foot of which passed the old stone road from Domfront to Falaise, via Durcet, La Forêt-Auvray and Ménil-Hermei.

Between these two towns, the road followed (unlike the current asphalt road) the route of the old path of "Bougas". It was by this route that the imposing stone pedestal of the monument to William the Conqueror, erected at the foot of Falaise Castle in 1850, was sent, causing considerable difficulties for the horse teams between "Forest Bridge" and Ménil-Hermei.

• 
  The Lavoir (washing place) of "La Vieville"
• 
  Another lavoir
• 
  The interior of the lavoir

See also

• Communes of the Orne department

References

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" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
3. "Map of Suisse Normande" (PDF).
4. "INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500091 - Vallée de l'Orne et ses affluents - Description".
5. Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - La Baize (I22-0400)".
6. "Ménil-Hermei · 61210, France". Ménil-Hermei · 61210, France.
7. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE