Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.
History
Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young
Rhône-et-LoireRhône-et-Loire was a département of France whose préfecture was Lyon. Created on March 4, 1790 like the other French départements, Rhône-et-Loire was abolished on August 12, 1793 when it was split into two départements: Rhône and Loire...
department was split into two. This was a response to
counter-Revolutionary activitiesThe revolt of Lyon against the National Convention was a counter-revolutionary movement in the city of Lyon. It involved a revolt against the revolutionary government, breaking out in June 1793 and ending in December of the same year....
in
LyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
which, by population, was the country's second largest city. By splitting
Rhône-et-LoireRhône-et-Loire was a département of France whose préfecture was Lyon. Created on March 4, 1790 like the other French départements, Rhône-et-Loire was abolished on August 12, 1793 when it was split into two départements: Rhône and Loire...
the
governmentDuring the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
sought to protect the
French RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
from the potential power and influence of counter revolutionary activity in the Lyon region.
The
departmental capitalsA chef-lieu is a town or city that is pre-eminent, from an administrative perspective, in any given sub-division of territory in France and some French-speaking countries.-In Algeria:...
have been / are as follows:
- Feurs
Feurs is a commune in the Loire department and in the Rhône-Alpes region in central France.The inhabitants of Feurs are called Foréziens.-History:The name Feurs derives from the Roman name of the town Forum Segusiavorum...
1793-1795
- Montbrison
Montbrison is a commune in the Loire department in central France.The commune gives its name to the popular blue cheese Fourme de Montbrison which has been made in the region for centuries.-History:...
1795-1855
- Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
since 1855
Geography
Loire is part of the current
administrative regionFrance is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of
Rhône-AlpesRhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
and is surrounded by the departments of Rhône,
IsèreIsère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...
,
ArdècheArdèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River.- History :The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d'Arc. The plateau of the Ardeche River has extensive standing stones ,...
,
Haute-LoireHaute-Loire is a department in south-central France named after the Loire River.-History:Haute-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
,
Puy-de-DômePuy-de-Dôme is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy-de-Dôme.Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005...
,
AllierAllier is a department in central France named after the river Allier.- History :Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Auvergne and Bourbonnais.In 1940, the government of Marshal...
, and
Saône-et-LoireSaône-et-Loire is a French department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.-History:When it was formed during the French Revolution, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces of southern...
.
The River Loire traverses the department from south to north.
The Loire department is split into three arrondissements:
- Arrondissement of Montbrison
The arrondissement of Montbrison is located in the Loire department and Rhône-Alpes region of France. It is composed of 10 cantons and 138 communes.-Cantons:The cantons of the arrondissement of Montbrison ae:# Boën# Chazelles-sur-Lyon# Feurs# Montbrison...
- Arrondissement of Roanne
The arrondissement of Roanne is located in the Loire department and Rhône-Alpes region of France. It is composed of 11 cantons and 115 communes.-Cantons:The cantons of the arrondissement of Roanne are:# Belmont-de-la-Loire# Charlieu# La Pacaudière...
- Arrondissement of Saint-Étienne
The arrondissement of Saint-Étienne is located in the Loire department and Rhône-Alpes region of France. It is composed of 19 cantons and 74 communes.-Cantons:The cantons of the arrondissement of Saint-Étienne are:# Bourg-Argental# Firminy...
Parts of the department belong to Parc naturel régional Livradois-Forez.
Demographics
The inhabitants of the department are called
Ligériens.
The industrial city of
Saint-ÉtienneSaint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
with its suburbs contains some 290,000 of the area's 728,542 inhabitants.
See also
- Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
- Cantons of the Loire department
- Communes of the Loire department
- Arrondissements of the Loire department
External links
Prefecture website General Council website