ALENON

town, Orne dpartement, Basse-Normandie rgion, northwestern France. Alenon lies at the juncture of the Sarthe and Briante rivers, in the centre of a plain ringed by wooded hills. It is known for its tulle and lace (especially point d'Alenon), introduced from Venice in the mid-17th century. Incorporated in the duchy of Normandy in 911, it was capital of the county and duchy of Alenon and passed to the French crown in 1549. Parts of its castle, taken by William of Normandy in 1048, remain; law courts have been built into the castle's living quarters. The town's Church of Notre-Dame dates mostly from the 15th17th century. The medieval Maison d'Oz and the 18th-century town hall survived heavy bombardments in 1944. Recent industrial development includes printing and light manufacturing. Pop. (1990) 31,139.