Saint Thibault

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Saint Thibault is a village of the Cher département, in central France. It is a former port on the Loire River in the former province of Berry.

[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 Roman river town of Gordona (Castle-Gordon), now Saint Thibault and Saint Satur; located on the Roman road (Gordaine) from Bourges to the Roman bridge over the Loire river in Saint Thibault.

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-Cosne railroad line (1885).

During World War II, Saint Satur 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 Saint Thibault and sabotaged communication, road and railway lines.