Messei

Messei (French pronunciation: [mɛsɛ] ^ⓘ) is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.

Messei
Commune
Messei town hall
Coat of arms
Location of Messei
Messei Show map of France Messei Show map of Normandy
Coordinates: 48°42′44″N 0°32′09″W
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Orne
Arrondissement	Argentan
Canton	La Ferté-Macé
Intercommunality	CA Flers Agglo
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Michel Dumaine[1]
Area 1	13.21 km2 (5.10 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	1,819
• Density	137.7/km2 (356.6/sq mi)
Demonym	Messéens
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	61278 /61440
Elevation	195–254 m (640–833 ft) (avg. 218 m or 715 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 is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, La Pacotière, La Bondière, Les Buissons, Les Pasquières, Les Genétés, La Balonnière, La Haguerie, Messei, La Cheminière, Le Gué, La Bruyère and La Merrie.^[3]

It is 1,320 hectares (5.1 sq mi) in size. The highest point in the commune is 215 metres (705 ft).

There are three watercourses that traverse through the commune, the river Varenne, La Vere and a stream called the Blanche-Lande. The source of the river Varenne is in Messei.^[4]

Notable buildings and places

National heritage sites

The commune has one building listed as a Monument historique, which are the remains of the old 11th-century castle in Messei and listed in 1975.^[5]

Church of Saint-Gervais and Saint-Protais in Messei

Notable People

• Foulques du Merle - (1239 - 1314) was Seigneur of Gacé and Bellou-en-Houlme, and Baron of Le Merlerault, Briouze and Messei.^[6]
• Émile Deshayes de Marcère (1828-1918) - last surviving senator for life of the Third Republic was Mayor here, and later died here.^[7]

See also

• Communes of the Orne department