Couture-sur-Loir

Couture-sur-Loir

Manoir de la Possonnière, birthplace of Pierre de Ronsard

Coat of arms
Couture-sur-Loir

Coordinates: 47°45′16″N 0°41′19″E / 47.7544°N 0.6886°E / 47.7544; 0.6886Coordinates: 47°45′16″N 0°41′19″E / 47.7544°N 0.6886°E / 47.7544; 0.6886
Country France
Region Centre-Val de Loire
Department Loir-et-Cher
Arrondissement Vendôme
Canton Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Intercommunality Pays de Ronsard
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Monique Richard
Area1 14.3 km2 (5.5 sq mi)
Population (4013)2 411
 • Density 29/km2 (74/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 41070 / 41800
Elevation 54–136 m (177–446 ft)
(avg. 70 m or 230 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Couture-sur-Loir is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.

It is situated in the northwest of the Loir-et-Cher department, 33 km (21 mi) to the west of Vendôme. It lies mainly on the left bank of the Loir River.

Geography

Couture is in the canton of Montoire-sur-le-Loir, which corresponds to the historic Bas-Vendômois district.

Adjacent to the village centre (with a crossroad street pattern) or bourg are two parallel settlements, Le Poirier and more distinctly Le Pin.

Economy

The main industry (apart from farming and tourism) is gravel extraction; excavated areas have been adapted for water sports. A number of inhabitants are employed by the paper manufacturers at Bessé-sur-Braye (Sarthe).

History

It is first referred to as Villas culturas in a charter of the 9th-century bishop of Le Mans, Saint Aldric (earlier references are doubtless fictitious).

A partial source for the history of Couture in the later 17th century are the memoirs of Louis XIV's valet, Marie Dubois, who came from the village.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1793825—    
1806950+15.2%
1821878−7.6%
1831930+5.9%
1841909−2.3%
1851930+2.3%
1861906−2.6%
1872854−5.7%
1881836−2.1%
1891843+0.8%
1901782−7.2%
1911749−4.2%
1921681−9.1%
1931640−6.0%
1946720+12.5%
1954635−11.8%
1962618−2.7%
1968606−1.9%
1975535−11.7%
1982467−12.7%
1990450−3.6%
1999433−3.8%
2008425−1.8%
2013411−3.3%

Sights

The housing reflects periods of prosperity and villégiature-type occupation in recent centuries.

Renowned for the Renaissance chateau of La Possonnière, birthplace of the poet Pierre de Ronsard, the village also possesses an Angevin-style church dedicated to Saints Gervase and Protase. The church contains the tombstone of Ronsard's parents and is known for its spire.

Personalities

Notable 20th-century inhabitants have included the Hallopeau and Sainte-Claire Deville families (noted scientists), the academic inspector Jean Pasquier and the Catholic historian François Lebrun.

See also

References

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