An English translation of a lecture by Félix Boulard, given to the Historical and Archaeological Society of Orne, on the origins and development of Alençon needlepoint lace. It traces the line from net, lacis and cutwork to Venetian and Alençon point. It covers the role of Colbert's royal factory (1665), the Colbertine, the Point de France and Mrs. La Perrière's invention, and the later Argentan twisted tie and réseau grounds. It closes with a chronological list of six Alençon lace types and a plea to revive the industry. Plates show Alençon lace pieces, including a Louis XIV-era piece, a Louis XV-era panel, flounces and a fichu in the Alençon museum.