Major city · France
Alençon
Give Alençon one night, or a half-day stop between Le Mans and Caen: the lace quarter, the Halle au Blé and the old streets are a 2–3 hour walk.
Alençon is a small Norman town on the River Sarthe, 170 km west of Paris and 50 km north of Le Mans. Its draw is compact: a circular wheat hall with a glass dome, a lace museum tied to a UNESCO-listed needle-lace craft, a Jesuit church and cobbled lanes of half-timbered houses. Two to three hours covers the centre on foot; a night lets you eat and see the market.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- EUR
- Best months
- May–Sep
- avoid Nov–Feb (cold, wet, short days)
- Airports
- CDG · ORY
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- France and Monaco ↗France has run temporary identity checks at its internal Schengen land borders since 2015; carry a passport or EU/EEA national ID on trains and buses from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
- France and Monaco ↗Nights in France and Monaco draw on the same Schengen 90-in-180-day allowance as the rest of the area; Monaco does not reset or pause it.
- France ↗France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
- France ↗TGV (including the low-cost Ouigo) and Intercités night trains need a seat reservation: a rail pass alone does not let you board.
- France ↗Paris, Lyon and other large cities run low-emission zones that require a Crit'Air sticker on cars; check before you drive a hire car or your own car into a city.
- France ↗Carry your passport or national ID card: police can ask for identification, and hotels register foreign guests.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Alençon112 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Alençon, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the euro (EUR, €).France-wide
- SIM or eSIMOrange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.France-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise.France-wide
- TippingRestaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.France-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/E. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.France-wide
- SafetyA calm, low-crime town; the real issues are quiet streets after dark, wet cobbles and Monday closures.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsParis has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1 (≈ US$1–2).France-wide
- Emergency numbers112 European emergency (police, fire, ambulance) · 15 ambulance (samu) · 17 police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany national museums close on Monday (Orsay, Versailles, Rodin) or Tuesday (Louvre, Pompidou's temporary sites).France-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportCDG Paris Charles de Gaulle (About 2 h 30 min by car or rail via Paris; no local airport with scheduled service).
- Getting aroundThe centre is small enough to walk; most sights sit within 15 minutes of each other.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
- Metro or bus rideLocal bus ride€2–4 (≈ US$3–5) (check)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (lace museum)€4.10 (≈ US$5) (check)
- Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per room€120 (≈ US$140)
- Mid-range bedDouble room, chain or small hotel, a night, per room€110 (≈ US$130)
- High-end bedDouble room, chain or small hotel, a night, per room€190 (≈ US$250)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget €70 (≈ US$85) · Mid €120 (≈ US$140) · High €220 (≈ US$300)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- CDG Paris Charles de Gaulle (About 2 h 30 min by car or rail via Paris; no local airport with scheduled service) · ORY Paris Orly (About 2 h 30 min by car; rail via Paris Montparnasse)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Feb
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Mar
not flagged
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
Apr
not flagged
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
May
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Jun
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Jul
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Aug
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Sep
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Oct
not flagged
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Nov
Avoid
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
Dec
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) low), wettest Jan (12 rain days), driest Jul (7). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Alençon: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
12 rd
Feb
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
10 rd
Mar
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
10 rd
Apr
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
9 rd
May
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
9 rd
Jun
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
8 rd
Jul
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
7 rd
Aug
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
7 rd
Sep
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
8 rd
Oct
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
10 rd
Nov
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
11 rd
Dec
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
12 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is small enough to walk; most sights sit within 15 minutes of each other. Alto Bus runs the local network. Free parking at place Foch beside the town hall; pay-and-display elsewhere in the centre.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 1 h
Train from Gare d'Alençon, about 40 min
Old town and the cathedral; the 24-hour race fills the town in June.
Door to door: About 2 h
Train from Gare d'Alençon, about 1 h 30 min
Norman capital with a castle and war memorial; a full day.
Argentan
cautionDoor to door: About 45 min
Train or car, about 30 min
Small market town; pair it with a drive through the Orne bocage.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Centre-ville (around Halle au Blé and rue de la Halle aux Toiles)
Walk to every sight; ibis and small hotels here. Best for one night without a car.
Around the rail station (place de la Résistance)
Convenient if you arrive late or leave early by train; 10–15 min walk to the old town.
Edge-of-town chain hotels (av du Général Leclerc, Condé-sur-Sarthe)
Free or easy parking, cheaper rooms; you need a car or a taxi into the centre.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- €60–90 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
- Mid
- €90–150 (≈ US$110–180) excl. bed
- High
- €150 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Double room, chain or small hotel1 × 1 night × €110 | €110 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €120 | €240 |
| Lace museum entry2 × €4 · check | €8 |
| Local bus day pass2 × €4 · check | €8 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15 | €30 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | €40 |
| Trip total≈ €218 per person per day, bed included | €436≈ US$550 |
2026 estimate in euros; travel to Alençon excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | €1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4) |
| Crêpe or galette | €8–14 (≈ US$10–17) |
| Pizza | €18–23 (≈ US$25–30) |
| Museum entry (lace museum) | €4.10 (≈ US$5) (check) |
| Local bus ride | €2–4 (≈ US$3–5) (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 (≈ US$12–25) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Many shops and some museums close Sunday and Monday; check hours before a Monday trip.
- Genuine Alençon lace is handmade and costly; cheap 'Alençon' lace is usually machine-made imitation.
- The lace museum and Jesuit church keep limited hours — confirm before you go.
- Rural roads around the town are quiet but unlit at night; drive carefully after dark.
Emergency numbers
- European emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
- 112
- Ambulance (SAMU)
- 15
- Police
- 17
- Fire
- 18
Pocket card
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AlençonAlençon
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please
Emergency
- European emergency112
- Ambulance (SAMU)15
- Police17
- Fire18
Embassy
No embassy in Alençon; embassies are in Paris. US and most Commonwealth citizens use Paris.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Train Alençon → Le Mans: about 40 min (check)
- Train Alençon → Caen: about 1 h 30 min (check)
- Taxi across the centre: €10–15 (≈ US$12–18) (check)
Say or show
- Bonjour — Hello (bon-ZHOOR)
- Merci — Thank you (mer-SEE)
- S'il vous plaît — Please (seel voo PLEH)
- C'est combien ? — How much is it? (say kom-BYEN)
- Je peux payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (zhuh puh pay-yay par kart)
- Où sont les toilettes ? — Where is the toilet? (oo son lay twa-LET)
Service is included by law in French restaurants; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Alençon. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (cold, wet, short days) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for CDG and ORY: last rail departures via Paris, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Halle au Blé and lace quarter, Château des Ducs and Notre-Dame, station quarter.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (lace museum, Jesuit church, Halle au Blé) and eat pages with last orders.
- Market-day fixtures (Thursday and Saturday) so the planner can flag the best morning to arrive.
Sources
- officialVille d'Alençon (official)
- officialAlto Bus (local transport)
- officialSNCF — Gare d'Alençon
- secondaryWikivoyage: Alençon, revision 5239623 (CC BY-SA 4.0)