Not to be missedAlençon markets
Strolling around Alençon’s markets is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a friendly, authentic atmosphere, talk to local producers and pick up some delicious local produce to delight your taste buds!
PrepareSavour
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THE PORTRAIT
Our favouritesLe bercail, family brew pub
This family project had its roots in the United States, when Basile, the youngest of the Terrier siblings, went to study at a business school in North Carolina in 2016. The young man from Alençon fell under the spell of a ‘brew pub’ (a pub where the beer is brewed on the premises) and developed a keen interest and a real taste for craft beer.
Did you know?A revolutionary invention left its mark on the history of Alençon...
You’ve probably seen your grandmothers or your mother use it, or perhaps you’ve tried it yourself… but do you know who invented the potato masher? It was Jean Mantelet who, tired of eating his wife’s lumpy mashed potatoes, created a hand-cranked device in 1932, fitted with a sieve and a metal spatula, capable of crushing all cooked vegetables. Manufactured in the Paris region in 1934, this revolutionary culinary instrument sold a million units in the space of two years!
In 1937, taking advantage of the industrial boom in Alençon, Jean Mantelet decided to build a factory there, gradually replacing the cranks with electric motors.
In 1956, the first electric coffee grinder was produced. A year later, Jean Mantelet renamed the Alençon factory “Moulinex”, short for “express mill”. The years that followed were prosperous, small electrical appliances developed and Moulinex® kept to its objective of “liberating women”, becoming a leading French brand in the 1970s.
Heritage plan
See all the heritage sites linked to Alençon’s economic boom in our heritage map.
