Belleme is a small hilltop town in the southern Perche with a population of about 1,500 and a disproportionate amount going on. A weekly market, a medieval town centre, one of the best forests in Normandy on the doorstep, a handful of serious antique dealers, an 18-hole golf course, and a food scene that keeps getting better. It is the kind of place that takes about twenty minutes to walk across and a full weekend to properly explore.
The Town
Belleme sits on a limestone ridge overlooking the Perche countryside. The old centre is built around the Place de la Republique, a broad square ringed by stone buildings, cafes, and shops. At the eastern end, a fortified gateway from the old ramparts frames a view across rolling farmland. It is the best free view in town.
The streets off the square are narrow and mostly stone. There are a few antique shops, a couple of galleries, a pharmacy, a tabac, and enough small businesses to make the place feel alive without feeling busy. Belleme has stayed functional. People live here, shop here, and know each other by name. It is a real town, not a museum piece.
The church of Saint-Sauveur, just off the main square, is worth stepping into. Seventeenth century, with good light and a painted ceiling that most visitors walk past without noticing.
The Markets
Belleme markets.
Thursday morning is the main one. Stalls set up around the Place de la Republique from about 8am and pack up by 12:30. Expect 20 to 40 stalls depending on the season: goat cheese, vegetables, rotisserie chicken, bread, honey, flowers, and a few clothing and household stalls around the edges. The goat cheese producer is the one we never skip. Get there early for the best selection.
Thursday is also a good day for the antique shops, several of which keep Thursday hours to catch the market crowd.
We have a full guide to all the weekly markets across Le Perche here.
Where to Eat and Drink
Belleme's food scene has more range than you would expect from a town this size.
L'Epicerie Bellemoise
Right on the Place de la Republique, next to the market square. This is not just a shop. L'Epicerie Bellemoise stocks an excellent selection of local and artisanal products from Perche producers: cheeses, charcuterie, ciders, calvados, honey, jams, pasta, biscuits, farm eggs, and seasonal fruit and vegetables. If you want to eat well at home, start here. If you want to bring something back as a gift, also start here. The selection is curated and the quality is consistently high.
GlouGlou
A few steps from the market square, GlouGlou is our go-to for a glass of wine in Belleme. A relaxed wine bar with a good list and the kind of atmosphere where an afternoon drink turns into an evening one without anyone minding. We end up here after the Thursday market more often than we should probably admit.
New Calif
On the Place de la Republique. New Calif is a snack spot and not the sort of place that shows up in guidebooks, which is part of why we like it. A quick kebab or a burger on the square, watching the town go by. Sometimes that is exactly the dinner we like.
Bakeries and the Butcher
Belleme has several bakeries and all of them are good. The competition keeps the standard high. Baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat, tarts. You will find your favourite quickly and then argue about it with whoever you are travelling with.
The butcher in town is excellent. Proper craft butchery with well-sourced meat and the kind of advice you do not get at a supermarket counter. If you are cooking at a rental or gite in the area, a stop at the butcher and L'Epicerie Bellemoise will sort your entire week.
The Forest
The Foret de Belleme starts at the edge of town and covers 2,400 hectares of oak and beech. It is part of the UNESCO Geopark and one of the best forests in Normandy for walking.
A few highlights:
Etang de la Herse is a lake with a marked trail loop around it. Flat, easy, good for families. About an hour at a gentle pace.
Pierre Procureuse is a megalithic dolmen deep in the forest. The walk to it is one of our favourites, quiet and slightly eerie depending on the light.
Chene de l'Ecole is a remarkable old oak worth seeking out if you like trees with personality.
In October, the forest fills with mushroom hunters. The car parks along the D938 are full before 8am and nobody makes eye contact. We wrote a whole post about mushroom season if that is your thing.
Antiques and Brocantes
Belleme has a small but serious cluster of antique dealers in and around the town centre. The stock leans toward furniture, decorative objects, and vintage housewares. Quality varies by shop, but there are a couple where we always find something worth considering.
The town also hosts brocantes and vide-greniers throughout the year, especially in spring and summer. Check our events calendar for dates.
If you are interested in brocantes across the region, we have a beginner's guide that covers what to expect.
Golf de Belleme
Just outside town, the Golf de Belleme is an 18-hole course (par 72) set in the hills of the Parc Naturel Regional du Perche. It opened in 1989 and the layout makes the most of the terrain: rolling fairways, four water holes, some blind shots, and views across the countryside from several tees. It is a proper course, not a holiday pitch-and-putt.
The club has a hotel and a brasserie terrace that overlooks the course. We hear the restaurant has been renewed recently and plan to check it out this summer. Worth knowing about even if you do not play.
Green fees are reasonable by French standards and booking a round is straightforward. The course is quiet on weekdays.
Practical Information
Getting there: Belleme is about two hours from Paris by car via the A11 and then smaller roads. There is no direct train, but you can get to Nogent-le-Rotrou by TER from Paris Montparnasse and drive or taxi the last 30 minutes. The drive from the channel ports (Caen, Le Havre) is about 90 minutes.
Parking: Free parking around the Place de la Republique and in several lots near the centre. On Thursday market mornings, arrive early or park slightly further out.
When to visit: Every season has something going for it. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant for walking. Summer brings evening producer markets and longer days. October has the mushroom season. Winter is quiet, which is its own appeal.
Staying: There are a few hotels and chambres d'hotes in and around Belleme. For more options, see our guide to where to stay in Le Perche (coming soon).
What Belleme Is Not
It is not a resort town. There is no tourist train, no themed walking tour with an audio guide, no gift shops selling lavender sachets. The restaurants close when they close and some shops still shut for lunch. You will not find a boulangerie open on Monday.
That is the whole point. Belleme works because it has not been adapted for visitors. It is a good small French town that happens to be in a beautiful part of the country with a forest, a market, a wine bar, an excellent little epicerie, and enough going on to fill a weekend without ever checking a schedule.
FAQ
Where is Belleme in France?
Belleme is in the Orne department of Normandy, in the southern part of Le Perche. It is about two hours south-west of Paris by car, roughly halfway between Chartres and Alencon.
What day is the market in Belleme?
The main market is Thursday morning on the Place de la Republique, from about 8am to 12:30pm. There is also a smaller Saturday morning market.
Is Belleme worth visiting?
Yes. It is a proper small French town with a medieval centre, excellent markets, a world-class forest for walking, good food, and serious antique shops. It does not try to be anything other than what is, which is exactly what makes it worth the trip.
What is there to do in Belleme?
Walk the forest, shop the Thursday market, browse the antique dealers, eat well, play golf, and slow down. In autumn, go mushroom hunting. In spring and summer, hit the brocantes and vide-greniers. Year-round, drink wine at GlouGlou and fill a bag at L'Epicerie Bellemoise.
How far is the Foret de Belleme?
The forest starts at the edge of town. You can walk there in ten minutes from the centre. By car, the main parking areas along the D938 are about five minutes away.
