Le Merlerault
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name = Le Merlerault
|commune = Merlerault-le-Pin
|image = Le Merlerault church.jpg
|caption = The church in Le Merlerault
|arrondissement = Mortagne-au-Perche
|canton = Rai
|INSEE = 61275
|postal code = 61240
|coordinates = {{coord|48.7011|0.2864|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m = 227
|elevation min m = 184
|elevation max m = 321
|area km2 = 19.1
|population = 754
|population date = 2022
|population footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/8290591/ensemble.pdf|title=Populations de référence 2022|language=fr|trans-title=Reference populations 2022|publisher=INSEE|date=December 2024}}
}}
Le Merlerault ({{IPA|fr|lə mɛʁləʁo|-|Fr-Le Merlerault.ogg}}) is a former commune in the Orne department in north-western France. On 1 January 2025, it was merged into the new commune of Merlerault-le-Pin.{{Citation |title=Arrêté du 13 septembre 2024 portant création de la commune nouvelle de Merlerault-le-Pin |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/arrete/2024/9/13/ATDB2434595A/jo/texte |access-date=16 January 2025|publisher=Légifrance}}
Geography
The former Commune is within the Natura 2000 protected area of Bocages et vergers du sud Pays d'Auge.{{Cite web|url=https://inpn.mnhn.fr/site/natura2000/FR2502014|title=INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2502014 - Bocages et vergers du sud Pays d'Auge - Description}}
The former commune 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}}
Points of interest
=National heritage sites=
- Ensemble castral remains of a medieval residence with a circular mound, it was registered as a Monument historique 1989.{{Cite web|url=https://monumentum.fr/monument-historique/pa00110977/le-merlerault-ensemble-castral|title=Ensemble castral au Merlerault - PA00110977|website=monumentum.fr}}
Notable People
- Foulques du Merle - (1239 - 1314) was Seigneur of Gacé and Bellou-en-Houlme, and Baron of Le Merlerault, Briouze and Messei.Louis de La Roque, Catalog historique des généraux français, connétables, maréchaux de France, lieutenants généraux, maréchaux de camp. Connétables et maréchaux de France depuis les premiers temps de la monarchie jusqu'à la fin du règne de Louis XIV (Paris, A. Desaide, 1896-1902), p.25.
- François Pouqueville - (1770 – 1838) a French diplomat, writer, explorer, physician and historian, and member of the Institut de France was born here.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdcvam.fr/le-merlerault|title=Le Merlerault | CDC des Vallées d'Auge et du Merlerault|website=www.cdcvam.fr}}
- Léon Labbé - (1832 – 1916) a French surgeon and politician was born here.{{Cite web|url=https://data.bnf.fr/10359663/leon_labbe/|title=Léon Labbé (1830-1916)|website=data.bnf.fr}}
Heraldry
{{Blazon-arms
| img1=Blason Le Merlerault.svg
| legend1=Arms of Le Merlerault
| text=The arms of Le Merlerault are blazoned :
Argent, a blackbird sable, on a chief azure a heart argent between 2 fleurs de lys Or.
}}
Twin towns – sister cities
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}
Le Merlerault is twinned with:
- {{flagicon|UK}} Collingbourne Ducis, United Kingdom (since 1992){{Cite web|url=https://www.collingbourne-ducis.com/village|title=Our village|website=Collingbourne Ducis Parish Council}}