Alençon, chief town of the Norman department of Orne, on the Sarthe, 68 miles SSE. of Caen. The cathedral of Notre Dame (1553-1617) is a Gothic edifice, with good stained glass and the remains of the tombs of the Alençon family, which were almost completely destroyed at the Revolution. The inhabitants produce excellent woollen and linen stuffs, embroidered fabrics, straw-hats, lace-work, artificial flowers, hosiery, &c. The manufacture of the famous Alençon point-lace (point d'Alençon) employs barely a tenth part of the 20,000 hands that once engaged in it (see LACE). The cutting of the so-called Alençon diamonds (quartz-crystals), found in the vicinity of the town, is a decayed industry. Pop. (1881) 15,939; (1891) 17,141.
The old Dukes of Alençon were a branch of the royal family of Valois, being descended from Charles of Valois, who perished at the battle of Crécy in 1346. His grandson, John I., fell at Agincourt in 1415. René, son of John II., was confined by Louis XI. for three months in an iron cage at Chinon. René's son, who had married the sister of Francis I., commanded the left wing at the battle of Pavia. With him expired the old House of Alençon. The duchy was then given to the Duke of Anjou, brother of King Charles IX. Louis XIV. conferred it upon his grandson the Duc de Berri, and Louis XVI. on his brother the Comte de Provence. More recently the title has been borne by the son of the Duc de Nemours, who was son of Louis-Philippe.