Often considered the capital of Norman Switzerland, Clécy is nestled on the banks of the Orne in an interlacing of groves, unexpected abrupt rocks, and changing lights. The region hence attracted Impressionist painters like Paul-Émile Pissarro, Georges Jules Moteley, and Charles Léandre. André Hardy (1887-1986), a teacher in Clécy and occasional artist, helped them discover the secrets of the region. A museum is dedicated to his memory in the 18th-century center of Clécy, which has managed to retain all of its character.