a town of France, the capital of the department of Orne, in Lower Normandy. It is surrounded with good walls, and flanked with towers. The castle was formerly a place of great consequence, and has held out long sieges. It has but one parish church, which has a bold and noble front. Among the numeraries, that of St Clair is most remarkable. It is seated on the river Sarthe, in a vast open plain, which produces all sorts of corn and fruit. Near it there are quarries of stone fit for building, wherein are found a fort like Bristol stones. The trade of Alençon is in linen, lace, stuffs, and leather. It is 20 miles north of Mons, 63 south-west of Rouen, and 88 south-west of Paris. Long. o. 10. N. Lat. 48. 25.