Belfonds
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name = Belfonds
|commune status = Commune
|image = Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Belfonds (1).jpg
|caption = The church in Belfonds
|image coat of arms =
|arrondissement = Alençon
|canton = Sées
|INSEE = 61036
|postal code = 61500
|mayor = Jean-Pierre Rolland{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=fr}}
|term = 2020–2026
|intercommunality = CC des Sources de l'Orne
|coordinates = {{coord|48.6114|0.1186|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m = 215
|elevation min m = 170
|elevation max m = 245
|area km2 = 14.29
|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}
Belfonds ({{IPA|fr|bɛlfɔ̃|-|Fr-Belfonds.ogg}}) is a commune in the Orne department in northwestern France.
Geography
The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, Guichaumont, Le Haut Condé, Condé-le-Butor, Le Roussillon, La Fosse, La Philippière, La Perrière, Saint-Clair, Haussepied, Les Petites Bruyères and Belfonds.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/61500+Belfonds,+France/@48.6117515,0.0882795,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x47e20446fc90a617:0x40c14484fb82270!8m2!3d48.611133!4d0.117648!16s/m/03qgq5l?entry=ttu|title=Belfonds · 61500, France|website=Belfonds · 61500, France}}
It is {{convert|1430|ha|sqmi|1}} in size. The highest point in the commune is {{convert|221|m|ft}}.
Belfonds along with another 65 communes is part of a 20,593 hectare, Natura 2000 conservation area, called the Haute vallée de l'Orne et affluents.{{Cite web|url=https://inpn.mnhn.fr/site/natura2000/FR2500099|title=INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500099 - Haute vallée de l'Orne et affluents - Description}}
Belfonds has a total of seven water courses running through it, three rivers The Orne, La Senneviere and La Thouane. The other four watercourses are all streams, The Ponts Besnard, The Renardieres, The Iles & the Viverel.{{Sandre|I2--0200|L'Orne}}
{{Geographic location
| title = Neighbouring communes
|width=auto
|state=expanded
|Centre = Belfonds
|North = Macé
|Northeast =
|East = Sées
|Southeast =
|South = La Ferrière-Béchet
|Southwest =
|West = Mortrée
|Northwest =
}}
Population
{{Historical populations
|source = INSEE[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/7633058?geo=COM-61036#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
|percentages = pagr
|align = none
|1968 |292
|1975 |250
|1982 |213
|1990 |207
|1999 |218
|2009 |172
|2014 |205
|2020 |204
}}
Notable buildings and places
=National heritage sites=
The Commune has two buildings and areas listed as a Monument historique.
- Cléray Manor a sixteenth century manor house, that was listed as a monument in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://monumentum.fr/monument-historique/pa00110739/belfonds-manoir-de-cleray|title=Manoir de Cléray à Belfonds - PA00110739|website=monumentum.fr}}
- Saint-Latuin Chapel is the former church, of Cléray whose commune was abolished in 1802.{{Cite web|url=https://monumentum.fr/monument-historique/pa00110980/belfonds-ancienne-eglise-de-clairay|title=Ancienne église de Clairay à Belfonds - PA00110980|website=monumentum.fr}} It is believed that Latuinus, first bishop of Sées took refuge here to escape the hatred of the wife of the governor of Sées, jealous of his miracles. The bishop stopped at the edge of a fountain and built a cell and an oratory. The fountain is believed to have healing powers and on the last Sunday of June each year a pilgrimage is taken from the center of Belfonds.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/belfonds-61500/la-fontaine-saint-latuin-et-son-eau-miraculeuse-4406934|title=La fontaine Saint Latuin et son eau miraculeuse|date=4 August 2016|website=Ouest-France.fr}}
File:Église Saint-Latuin de Belfonds (Cléray).jpg|Church of Saint-Latuin
File:Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Belfonds (2).jpg|Church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption
File:Chapelle Saint-Clair de Belfonds (Saint-Clair).jpg|Chapel of Saint-Clair
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Belfonds}}
{{Orne communes}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Monuments historiques of Orne
Category:Christian pilgrimages
{{Alençon-geo-stub}}