| Pontorson lies on the very boundary of Normandy and Brittany, namely the river Couesnon (pronounced Kwen-on). It is named as the Bridge of Orson (Pont d'Orson) after Orson, one of the Norman chieftains in the generation before William the Conqueror. The town has a tradition as a centre for jousting and tournaments started by the great warrior Bertrand du Guesclin and continued by the Montgomery family (one of whom actually killed the French King Henri II during a tournament!)
The church with a facade of two romanesque towers is unique in Europe. It dates from 1050, and was built by the same masons who built much of Mont St.Michel. Inside there is a range of church art covering the whole range of the gothic period. Nowadays, Pontorson is very much a tourist town whose hotels provide accommodation for many of those visiting the great marvel in the nearby bay.
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