Alençon (UK: /æˈlɒ̃sɒ̃/,[3] US: /ˌælɒ̃ˈsoʊn/,[4] French: [alɑ̃sɔ̃] ⓘ; Norman: Alençoun) is a commune in Normandy, France, and the capital of the Orne department.

In 1049–1051, William Duke of Normandy, later known as William the Conqueror and king of England, laid siege to the town, which had risen in support of the Count of Anjou along with two other towns of the Bellême estates, Domfront (then in Maine) and Bellême (held directly from King Henry I of France).

In response to this, William had 32 prisoners of the town's hands and feet cut off, prompting a sudden surrender.

A long-standing local fabric industry gave birth to the town's famous point d'Alençon lace in the 18th century.

The economic development of the nineteenth century was based on iron foundries and mills in the surrounding region.

Beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin - Saint Therese of Lisieux On 17 June 1940, the German Army occupied Alençon.

Alençon along with another 32 communes is part of a 3,503 hectare, Natura 2000 conservation area, called the Haute vallée de la Sarthe.

Alençon is linked by the A28 autoroute (motorway/freeway) with the nearby cities of Le Mans to the south (Sarthe) and Rouen (Seine-Maritime) to the north.

The Alençon railway station offers regional services towards Caen, Le Mans and Tours.