Mortain's a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in northwestern France. Geography Mortain's situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune. Administration Mortain's the seat of a canton. It's a former subprefecture of the Manche department and the seat of the former arrondissement of Mortain, which existed from 1790 to 1926. History Mortain was, in the Middle Ages, the head of an important county (comté), reserved for the reigning hous… (More on Mortain)