Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire (French pronunciation: [mɛn.e.lwaʁ]) is a depairtment in wast-central Fraunce, in the Pays de la Loire region.
Maine-et-Loire | |
---|---|
![]() Location o Maine-et-Loire in Fraunce | |
Coordinates: 47°27′N 0°36′E / 47.450°N 0.600°E | |
Kintra | France |
Region | Pays de la Loire |
Prefectur | Angers |
Subprefecturs | Cholet Saumur Segré |
Govrenment | |
• Preses o the General Cooncil | Christophe Béchu (UMP) |
Area | |
• Total | 7166 km2 (2,767 sq mi) |
Population (1999) | |
• Total | 732,942 |
• Rank | 27t |
• Density | 100/km2 (260/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Depairtment number | 49 |
Arrondissements | 4 |
Cantons | 41 |
Communes | 363 |
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, an lakes, ponds, an glaciers lairger than 1 km2 |
History
eeditMaine-et-Loire is ane o the oreeginal 83 depairtments creatit durin the French Revolution on 4 Mairch 1790. Oreeginally it wis cried Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name wis chyngit tae Maine-et-Loire in 1791. It wis creatit frae pairt o the umwhile province o Anjou. Its present name is drawn frae the umwhile province o Maine an the Loire River, which runs through it.
Geography
eeditMaine-et-Loire is pairt o the current region o Pays-de-la-Loire an is surroondit bi the depairtments o Ille-et-Vilaine, Mayenne, Sarthe, Indre-et-Loire, Vienne, Deux-Sèvres, Vendée, an Loire-Atlantique.
It haes a varied landscape, wi forestit ranges o hills in the sooth an north separatit bi the valley o the Loire. The heichest point is Colline des Gardes (689 feet/210m).
The area has many navigable rivers such as the Loire, Sarthe, Mayenne, Loir, and Authion.
Demographics
eeditThe inhabitants o Maine-et-Loire are cried Angevins, frae the umwhile province o Anjou.
Tourism
eedit- The Loire Valley an its castles.
- The lairgest vineyard o the Loire Valley.
- The boule de fort, the traditional boules geme in Anjou
Angers an aroond:
- The Angers castle an the Apocalypse Tapestry, the lairgest tapestry in the warld.
- The Cointreau museum, in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou
- The Château de Brissac, the tawest castle o the Loire Valley.
- The crooked spires in Baugé region.
Saumur an aroond:
- The Cadre Noir, ane o the maist famous horsemanship schuil in the warld.
- Aroond Saumur, the lairgest concentration o troglodyte hoose in Europe.
- The Royal Abbey o Fontevraud an the graves o the Hoose o Plantagenet, includin Richard I o ingland.
- The Tank museum o Saumur, which display the lairgest tank collection in Fraunce.
Cholet an aroond:
- The textile museum o Cholet, an the creation o the famous red an white handkerchief.
- The Château de Touvois
- The Parc Oriental de Maulévrier, the lairgest Japanese garden o Fraunce
Segré an aroond:
- The fortifeed ceety o Pouancé an its medieval castle.
- The Blue Mine, a slate mine, wi a funicular which goes 130 meters unner the surface.
- The Naitional stud o Le Lion-d'Angers, which host ivery year Le Mondial du Lion
- The Château de Challain-la-Potherie
See an aw
eeditFreemit airtins
eeditWikimedia Commons haes media relatit tae Maine-et-Loire. |
- (in French) Prefectur wabsteid Archived 1999-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
- (in French) General cooncil wabsteid
- (in Inglis) Anjou Tourism Board wabsteid Archived 2004-12-09 at the Wayback Machine