# La Chapelle-Viel

> commune in Orne, France

**Wikidata**: [Q1095455](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1095455)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Chapelle-Viel)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/la-chapelle-viel

## Summary

La Chapelle-Viel is a commune located in the Orne department in the Normandy region of northwestern France. Situated at coordinates 48.703611111111°N latitude and 0.61722222222222°E longitude, it belongs to the canton of Moulins-la-Marche and the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche. As a French commune, it serves as a territorial subdivision within the country's administrative structure, representing a small rural municipality in the historical province of Normandy.

## Key Facts

- **Official Name**: La Chapelle-Viel
- **Aliases**: La Chapelle, Chapelle-Viel
- **Country**: France
- **Region**: Normandy
- **Department**: Orne (inception: March 4, 1790)
- **Canton**: Moulins-la-Marche
- **Arrondissement**: Mortagne-au-Perche
- **Commune Type**: Commune of France (territorial subdivision for municipalities, inception: 1789)
- **Coordinates**: 48.703611111111°N, 0.61722222222222°E
- **Website**: http://www.lachapelleviel.fr
- **Population**: 286, 274, 283, 272, 277, 282, 287, 289, 289, 289 (series of recorded figures)
- **Wikipedia Title**: La Chapelle-Viel
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Orne, France
- **Sitelink Count**: 43

## FAQs

**What type of administrative area is La Chapelle-Viel?**

La Chapelle-Viel is a commune, which is the smallest territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. It operates under the administrative structure of the French Republic, specifically within the department of Orne in the Normandy region.

**Where is La Chapelle-Viel located geographically?**

La Chapelle-Viel is situated in the Normandy region of northwestern France, specifically in the Orne department. Its precise location is at latitude 48.703611111111°N and longitude 0.61722222222222°E. It falls within the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche and the canton of Moulins-la-Marche.

**What is the administrative history of Orne department?**

The Orne department was established on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution. It is located in the historical province of Normandy in northwestern France and serves as an administrative division within the larger Normandy region.

**How does La Chapelle-Viel fit into France's administrative hierarchy?**

As a French commune, La Chapelle-Viel occupies the lowest level of France's administrative structure. It is part of the canton of Moulins-la-Marche, which itself is part of the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche, all within the department of Orne in the Normandy region of France.

**What is known about La Chapelle-Viel's population?**

While specific years are not provided, La Chapelle-Viel has recorded population figures of 286, 274, 283, 272, 277, 282, 287, 289, 289, and 289 across multiple recorded periods, suggesting a relatively small rural commune with population fluctuations.

## Why It Matters

La Chapelle-Viel represents the fundamental unit of local governance in France, embodying the country's decentralized administrative structure. As one of the thousands of communes that form the backbone of French territorial organization, it plays a crucial role in delivering local services, maintaining community identity, and preserving the historical character of Normandy. The commune system in France, which traces its origins to 1789 during the French Revolution, ensures that even small settlements have a recognized administrative status and can participate in local governance. For La Chapelle-Viel, being part of the canton of Moulins-la-Marche and the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche connects it to broader regional administrative frameworks that facilitate resource allocation, public service delivery, and local representation. Its presence in the Orne department places it within Normandy, a region renowned for its historical significance, agricultural heritage, and rural landscapes. The commune's website (http://www.lachapelleviel.fr) indicates ongoing local administration and community engagement, demonstrating that even small French municipalities maintain an active civic presence in the modern era.

## Notable For

- Part of the historic Normandy region of France
- Located in the Orne department, established during the French Revolution in 1790
- Situated within the canton of Moulins-la-Marche
- Member of the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche
- Uses the .fr internet domain for its official website
- Represents the classic French commune structure dating back to 1789

## Body

### Geography and Location

La Chapelle-Viel is positioned at coordinates 48.703611111111°N latitude and 0.61722222222222°E longitude, placing it in the northwestern part of France within the Normandy region. The commune lies in the Orne department, a territory that encompasses diverse landscapes ranging from forested areas to agricultural plains typical of Normandy. The precise geographic positioning situates the commune in the southern portion of the department, within reasonable distance of the regional center of Normandy. The location reflects the typical rural character of many communes in this part of France, characterized by agricultural land use, small settlements, and connection to the broader Norman countryside.

### Administrative Structure

La Chapelle-Viel operates as a commune of France, which represents the lowest level of territorial administration in the French system. The commune as an administrative unit was established in 1789 during the French Revolution, replacing the previous system of parishes and villages. Today, La Chapelle-Viel belongs to the canton of Moulins-la-Marche, which serves as an electoral district for various administrative purposes. Above the canton level, the commune is part of the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche, an administrative division that groups together multiple communes for coordination of state services and governance. The arrondissement itself falls within the department of Orne, which was created on March 4, 1790, as part of the initial departmental organization of revolutionary France. This hierarchical administrative structure—from commune to canton to arrondissement to department—exemplifies France's unitary state organization.

### Regional Context: Normandy and Orne

The commune is situated in the Normandy region, one of France's historical provinces that has been officially organized as a region since the territorial reorganizations of the 1950s and 1960s. Normandy is divided into five departments: Calvados, Manche, Orne, Seine-Maritime, and Eure. La Chapelle-Viel's department of Orne covers an area of approximately 6,103 square kilometers and is characterized by a landscape of hills, forests, and agricultural fields. The department's capital is Alençon, while other significant towns include Argentan and Flers. The region has a rich historical heritage, known for the Norman Conquest of England, the Bayeux Tapestry, the D-Day beaches, and numerous medieval architecture examples. Orne specifically is known for its horse breeding (the famous Percheron horses originate from this area), its forests, and its traditional agricultural activities.

### Local Identity and Community

La Chapelle-Viel maintains its identity through various means, including the official website (http://www.lachapelleviel.fr), which serves as a point of contact for residents and visitors. The commune has also been referenced under alternative names "La Chapelle" and "Chapelle-Viel," reflecting potential historical variations in naming or local usage. The population figures recorded over time—ranging from 272 to 289—indicate a small rural community typical of many communes in the French countryside. These population levels are consistent with the commune structure in rural Normandy, where many settlements maintain small but stable populations. The community likely participates in local affairs through municipal governance, with the mayor and council serving as the primary local administrative authorities, as is standard for French communes.

### Historical Context

The establishment of communes as administrative units in 1789 marked a significant transformation in French local governance, replacing the Ancien Régime's system of parishes and jurisdictions. La Chapelle-Viel, as a commune created within this system, inherited this administrative framework that continues to define local governance in France today. The department of Orne itself was formed in 1790, during the early years of the French Revolution, when the national assembly reorganized France's territorial divisions to replace the historical provinces with departments named after geographical features—in this case, the Orne River that flows through the department. The arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche represents a further administrative subdivision that developed over time to facilitate governance and public administration at a more local level than the department.

### Administrative Relationships

The structure of French administration creates a network of relationships between different territorial levels. La Chapelle-Viel's position within this hierarchy connects it to various administrative entities: the canton of Moulins-la-Marche provides electoral representation and some administrative coordination; the arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche offers a framework for state services and administrative coordination; the department of Orne handles broader departmental functions; and the Normandy region coordinates regional planning and development. At the national level, the commune falls under the jurisdiction of French national government through the prefecture system, with the prefect of Orne representing the state's authority in the department. This multi-layered system ensures that even small communes like La Chapelle-Viel remain connected to broader governance structures while maintaining local autonomy in many matters of direct community concern.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
3. INSEE code
4. répertoire géographique des communes
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Annuaire de service-public.fr
7. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
8. Populations légales 2016
9. Populations légales 2017
10. Populations légales 2018
11. Populations légales 2019
12. Populations légales 2020
13. Populations légales 2021
14. Populations de référence 2022
15. Populations de référence 2023
16. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
17. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
18. GeoNames
19. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
20. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
21. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)