Pont-d'Ouilly

Pont-d'Ouilly lies in the steep valleys of the Norman uplands, where the Noireau joins the Orne. The bridge over the Orne gives the place its name and connects the settlements of Saint-Mards and Ouilly on opposite banks. A crossing was valuable on a river confined between wooded slopes, allowing travellers to pass through the country between Normandy and Brittany. Mills used the river's flow near the bridge, while the valley brought together roads from the surrounding hills and the two converging streams.