Montoire-sur-le-Loir

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

Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Commune
Coat of arms
Location of Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Coordinates: 47°45′18″N 0°51′52″E
CountryFrance
RegionCentre-Val de Loire
DepartmentLoir-et-Cher
ArrondissementVendôme
CantonMontoire-sur-le-Loir
IntercommunalityPays de Ronsard
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Guy Moyer
Area
1
21.02 km2 (8.12 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
3,782
 • Density180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
41149 /41800
Elevation60–146 m (197–479 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.

History

Montoire-sur-le-Loir is known as the location where, on 24 October 1940, the famous handshake between Adolf Hitler and Philippe Pétain took place signifying the start of organised collaboration of Vichy France with the Nazi regime. The meeting took place in a railway car just outside the town's railway station. The discussion was entirely a matter of generalities, with no specifics discussed or decided. Hitler was impressed with Petain's commitment to defending the French colonial empire. False rumours abounded that France had made major concessions regarding colonies and German control of French ports and the French fleet.[2] This was announced to the French public on 30 October in a radio broadcast speech when Pétain declared, "I enter, today, into the way of collaboration."[3]

Two days previously, Pierre Laval had had a meeting with Hitler in the same location and he had suggested to Hitler that he meet with Pétain.

Montoire was chosen because of its relative isolation and also its proximity to the main Paris-Hendaye train line, Hitler having met with Franco at Hendaye on the 23rd. Besides, in case of an aerial attack, the train could have found shelter in the nearby tunnel in Saint-Rimay. The tunnel had armored doors, which are still visible, installed for the meeting. German command posts were established at Saint-Rimay and Thoré-la-Rochette with direct contact to Berlin.

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±%
17932,844—    
18062,878+1.2%
18212,938+2.1%
18313,072+4.6%
18413,306+7.6%
18513,180−3.8%
18613,099−2.5%
18723,054−1.5%
18813,439+12.6%
18913,319−3.5%
19013,115−6.1%
19112,970−4.7%
19212,952−0.6%
19312,698−8.6%
19462,908+7.8%
19542,683−7.7%
19622,540−5.3%
19683,241+27.6%
19753,932+21.3%
19824,200+6.8%
19904,065−3.2%
19994,275+5.2%
20044,186−2.1%
20143,842−8.2%

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns — Sister cities

Montoire-sur-le-Loir is twinned with:

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. William L. Langer, Our Vichy Gamble (1947) pp 89-98.
  3. "J'entre aujourd'hui dans la voie de la collaboration..." sourced from French wiki page.



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