Sancerre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
For the wine of the area, see Sancerre (wine).
Commune of Sancerre

The town of Sancerre
Location
Longitude 02° 50' 23" E
Latitude 47° 19' 55" N
Administration
Country France
Région Centre
Département Cher
Arrondissement Bourges
Canton Sancerre
Statistics
Altitude 146 m–366 m
(avg. 310 m)
Land area¹ 16.27 km²
Population²
(1999)		 1,799
 - Density (1999) 110/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 18241/ 18300
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).
France

Sancerre is a town and commune of the Cher département, in central France. It is a medieval hilltop town overlooking the Loire River in the former province of Berry. It is noted for its wine.

Contents

[edit] History

Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic tribe, the Bituriges, or the "Kings of the World", and after their defeat at Bourges (Avaricum), part of Roman Aquitania. Some evidence points to the existence of an early hillside Roman temple dedicated to Julius Caesar; located on the Roman road (Gordaine) from Bourges to the river town of Gordona (Castle-Gordon), now Saint Thibault and Saint Satur. Name possibly derived from "Sacred to Caesar" and later Christianized to "Saint-Cere". During the Carolingian period there was a small village on the hillside, clustered around the Saint Romble Church. An Augustinian abbey was founded in Saint Satur in 1034. A natural fortress 312 meters in height, Sancerre is a former feudal possession of the Counts of Champagne (1152). They built a chateau on the hill and ramparts to protect the city. The chateau had six towers including the Tower of the Strongholds (Tour des Fiefs) and the Tower of Saint George. In times of war, a fire was lit on the top of the Saint George tower that could be seen for 40 km around. The Customs of Lorris (1155), a charter granted by Stephen I ( Étienne I ) to the merchants of Sancerre was considered one of the most progressive in the Capetian kingdom. In 1184, the Count of Sancerre led a band of rebels called the Brabançons against the king. They were defeated by the Confrères de la Paix, the Fellow-members of Peace, a group charged with keeping order in the kingdom. In (1190) Stephen I was among the first feudal lords to abolish serfdom. The fortified city repelled the English forces twice during the Hundred Years' War but much of the surrounding area, including the Augustine Abbey in Saint Satur and Saint Romble, were destroyed. Sancerre was the seat of Joan of Arc's great comrade-in-arms, Jean V de Bueil.

Sancerre was also the site of the infamous Siege of Sancerre (1572-1573) during the Wars of Religion where the Huguenot population held out for nearly eight months against the Catholic forces of the king. The siege was one of the last times in European history where slings (trebuchet), the "Arquebuses of Sancerre", were used in warfare. The siege was documented by a Protestant minister who survived the battle, Jean de Léry, in The Memorable History of the Siege of Sancerre. In 1621 much of the feudal chateau and city walls were destroyed by orders of the king to prevent further resistance. In 1640 the county became the possession of the Prince of Condé, Henry II of Bourbon, the governor of Berry. The area suffered economically from the mass exodus of Protestant merchants, tradesmen and others during the 17th century, especially after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685).

During the French Revolution, Sancerre was the site of a royalist rebellion led by Phelippeaux – small "Vendee Sancerroise". Sancerre was designated the seat of government for the district during the First Republic, but in 1926 the sous-préfecture and other administrative services were transferred to Bourges. Count Jean-Pierre de Montalivet, Minister of the Interior under Napoleon, was a large landowner in Sancerre during the 19th century.

Area transportation was improved by the construction of a suspension bridge at Saint Thibault (1834), the Lateral Canal of the Loire (1838) and later, the Bourges-Sancerre railroad line (1885). A mansion was built on the ruins of the original Chateau de Sancerre in 1874 by Mlle de Crussol d'Uzès in the style of Louis XII. In 1919, the mansion and part of the vineyards were purchased by Louis Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, the liqueur manufacturer.

During World War II, Sancerre was a regional command center for the French Resistance. "Operation Spencer” in 1944 was to prevent the Germans from crossing the Loire River between Gien and Nevers and reinforcing troops in Brittany. The French Resistance and Free French Forces blew up the bridge at Sancerre and sabotaged communication, road and railway lines.

[edit] Economy: Food and Wine

Known principally for the production of red wine from the Pinot Noir grape until the 20th century, the Sancerre area was devastated by phylloxera in the late 19th century. The vineyards were replanted in Sauvignon Blanc (also see Sancerre (wine)). In 1936 Sancerre white was given AOC (INAO) status; reds were classified in 1959. The area now produces white, red and rose wine. The following communes fall inside the "Sancerre" and "Sancerre-Loire Valley" controlled label of origin area: Bannay, Bué, Crésancy, Menetou-Râtel, Ménétréol, Montigny, Saint Satur, Sainte-Gemme, Sancerre, Sury-en-Vaux, Thauvenay, Veaugues, Verdigny et Vinon.

The area is also noted for its goat cheese. The nearby village of Chavignol, which gave its name to the cheese - Crottin de Chavignol - is located on the territory of the commune.

[edit] Sights

Of architectural significance: Belfry of St. Jean, a 16th century bell tower built by the prosperous merchants of Sancerre; Tour des Fiefs (1390), the lone remaining tower of the feudal chateau; and the ruins of Saint Romble, a medieval church destroyed by the English.

The city is a cobweb of twisted streets with many buildings surviving from the Middle Ages.

[edit] Miscellaneous

Famous people associated with Sancerre:

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../s/a/n/Sancerre.html"