Essay, Orne

Essay () is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France. The town is mainly known nowadays for its motorsports tracks, and hosted a round of the 2011 European Rallycross Championship.

Notable buildings and places

• Le circuit des Ducs - is a racing circuit that was built in 1975. The circuit that has been used to stage a round of the French rallycross championship and Fol'Car races.

National heritage sites

The commune has two buildings/areas listed as a Monument historique.

• Domaine de Beaufossé is an 18th-century house and estate, declared as a Monument historique in 2001. The gardens of the estate were landscaped by Henri and Achille Duchêne. The estate grounds are shared with the neighbouring commune of Boitron.
• Chapel of the Dukes of Alençon is a 12th-century chapel that was part of a castle originally built by William of Bellême in 1088. It was listed as a monument in 1975.

Notable people

• Marie d'Alençon (1373 – 1417) a French noblewoman, a Princess of the Blood, and the wife of Jean VII of Harcourt was born here.
• John I, Duke of Alençon (1385 – 1415), a French nobleman was born here.
• François Robichon de La Guérinière (1688–1751) was a French riding master and one of the most influential writers on the art of dressage, was born here.

See also

• Communes of the Orne department
• Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park

References

External links

• Local motor sports