Condeau
# Condeau

Condeau (French pronunciation: (listen)) is a former commune in the Canton of Bretoncelles, in the Arrondissement of Mortagne-au-Perche, in the department of Orne (and formerly within Le Perche region) in north-western France: on 1 January 2016, it merged into the new commune of Sablons-sur-Huisne.

## Origins and etymology

Condeau is a town that lies near the river Huisne in Lower Normandy.

The toponym "Condeau" is a diminutive of Condé, a neighboring town name as the confluence (Gaulish condate) of the Huisne and Corbionne rivers.

## Demonym

The French demonym for people who live in Condeau is Condoléen.

## History

In 1789, after the Décret de la division de la France en départements created townships, Condeau became chief town of its canton. In 1801, the canton was abolished.

On 1 January 2016, Condeau merged into Sablons-sur-Huisne as a municipality under by Law Number 2010-1563 of 16 December 2010 on local government reform. The communes of Condeau, Condé-sur-Huisne, and Coulonges-les-Sablons merged and Condé-sur-Huisne became the chief town of the new municipality.

## Administration

The town council comprises eleven members, including the mayor and two deputies.

## Population

In 2019, Condeau had 370 inhabitants. Condeau's population peaked at 1,034 inhabitants in 1821.

## Sites

Sites in Condeau include:

* Church of Saint-Denis (Église Saint-Denis): 16th-century church that houses three paintings registered as historic monuments
* Villeray Castle (Château de Villeray ): 18th-century castle registered as an historic monument
   * Old Mill on the Huisne (Ancien moulin sur l'Huisne): Dependency of the castle of Villeray
   * Manor Grand Brolles: 16th-century chapel
   * Radray Chapel (Chapelle de Radray)

## Notable inhabitants

* Jacques-Claude Dugué d'Assé (1749-1830), French politician
* Robert-Jules Garnier (1883-1958), French chief designer
* James Rossant (1928-2009), American architect and artist
* Colette Rossant (1932), French-American writer
