Saumur

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Saumur

Saumur is a town and commune in the Maine-et-LoireMaine-et-Loire

Maine-et-Loire is a dpartement in west-central France. ...
département of FranceFrance

France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and whi...
on the Loire RiverLoire River

The Loire River, the longest river in France with a length of just over 1000 km, drains an area of 117,000 km, more than a f...
at , with an approximate population of 30,000 as of 2001. The historic town is located between the LoireLoire River

The Loire River, the longest river in France with a length of just over 1000 km, drains an area of 117,000 km, more than a f...
and ThouetThouet

The River Thouet is a tributary of the River Loire in the Poitou-Charentes and Pays de la Loire r?gions of France....
rivers, which join to the west of the town.

History

Saumur is home to the Cadre NoirCadre Noir

The Cadre Noir is an equestrian display team based in the city of Saumur in western France....
, the École Nationale d'Équitation (National School of Horsemanship), known for its annual horse shows, as well as the officerOfficer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of a military or naval service who holds a position of responsibility....
school for armored forces. There is a tank museum, the Musée des BlindésMusée des Blindés

The Mus?e des Blind?s or Mus?e G?n?ral Estienne is one of the world's leading tank museums....
, with more than 850 armored vehicles, wheeled or tracked. Most of them are from France but some were made in other countries such as BrazilBrazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country in South America, and ...
, GermanyGermany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....
, or the Soviet UnionSoviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state that existed...
.

The School of SaumurAmyraldism

Amyraldism, also known as "hypothetical universalism" or "four-point Calvinism", primarily refers to a modified form of Calv...
is the name used to denote a distinctive form of Reformed theologyCalvinism

Calvinism is a system of Christian theology and an approach to Christian life and thought within the Protestant tradition ar...
taught by Moses AmyrautMoses Amyraut

Moses Amyraut , also known as Amyraldus, was a French Protestant theologian and metaphysician....
at the University of Saumur in the 17th century. Saumur is also the scene for Balzac's novel "Eugénie Grandet", written by the French author in 1833 and the title of a song from hard rockHard rock

Hard rock is a form of rock and roll music which finds its closest roots in early-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock....
band TrustFacts About Trust (band)

Trust was a famous hard rock band seen by many in its early years as the French AC/DC. ...
(whose lyrics express their poor opinion of the city: narrow-minded, bourgeois and militaristic).

Saumur was the location of the Battle of Saumur (1793)Battle of Saumur (1793)

The Battle of Saumur was a battle during the Vendee Revolt....
during the Revolt in the VendéeRevolt in the Vendée Summary

During the French Revolution, the 1793-1796 uprising in the Vende, variously known as the Uprising, Insurrection, R...
.

World War II

Saumar was the site of the Battle of Saumur (1940)Battle of Saumur (1940)

The Battle of Saumur occurred during the last stages of the Battle of France, when officer cadets from the Cavalry School at...
during World War IIBattle of France Summary

In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German and Italian invasion of France...
, and 1944 Tallboy and Azon bombing targets:

Mission/Target	Date	Result
Bombing of Saumur during World War II
Saumur railway tunnel	June 8/9, 1944	The first use of Tallboy bombTallboy bomb The Tallboy was an Earth Quake bomb developed by Barnes Wallis and brought into operation by the British in 1944.... s was against a railway tunnel near Saumur, 125 miles south of the battle area. The hasty night raid was to stop a planned German Panzer DivisionPanzer Division Panzer Division is the German term for armored division.... expected later through the tunnel. No. 83 Squadron RAF illuminated the area with flares by 4 Avro LancasterAvro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster was a four-engine World War II bomber aircraft made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force.... s and marked the target at low level by 3 de Havilland MosquitoDe Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland Mosquito was a military aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during World War II.... s. 25 Lancasters of No. 617 Squadron RAFNo. 617 Squadron RAF No. 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is better known as the "Dambusters" squadron.... then dropped their Tallboys with great accuracy; one pierced the roof of the tunnel, brought down a huge quantity of rock and soil, and blocked the tunnel for a considerable period, badly delaying the Panzer IVPanzer IV The Panzerkampfwagen IV, more commonly referred to as the Panzer IV, was a tank developed by Germany and used extensiv... s.
Mission 432/Saumur bridge	June 22, 1944	9 of 10 B-24 LiberatorB-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American bomber that was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat a... s of the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces was a part of the U.S.... used AzonAzon AZON was one of the world's first smart bombs.... glide bombs against the Samur Bridge; escort is provided by 41 of 43 P-51 MustangFacts About P-51 Mustang The North American P-51 Mustang was a long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered service with Allied air forces in... s.
Mission 438/Saumur bridge	June 24, 1944	During the morning, 74 B-17 Flying FortressB-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was the first mass-produced, four-engine heavy bomber.... es are dispatched to the Saumur bridge; 38 hit the primary and 36 hit Tours/La Riche Airfield without loss; escort is provided by 121 of 135 P-51s who claim 4-0-2 LuftwaffeLuftwaffe The Deutsche Luftwaffe or Luftwaffe is the commonly used term for the German air force.... aircraft on the ground.

Births

Saumur was the birthplace of:

Anne LefèvreAnne Lefèvre

Anne Lefvre, better known during her lifetime as Madame Dacier, was a French scholar and translator of the classics....
(1654–1720), better known during her lifetime as Madame Dacier, scholar and translatorTranslator Summary

Translator has different meanings in the english language:...
of classicsClassics Summary

Classics, particularly within the Western university tradition, when used as a singular noun, is the study of the language, ...
Charles Ernest BeuléCharles Ernest Beulé

Charles Ernest Beul was a French archaeologist and politician. ...
(1826–1874), archeologist
Coco Chanel (1883–1971), internationally renowned fashion designer
Yves RobertYves Robert

Yves Robert was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and producer....
, (1920–2002), actor, composer, director, writer, producer
Fanny ArdantFanny Ardant

Fanny Marguerite Judith Ardant is a French actress....
, (b. 1949), actress
Dominique PinonDominique Pinon

Dominique Pinon is a French actor whose most famous roles have been in the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet....
, (b. 1955), actor

Twin towns

twinnedTown twinning

Town twinning or sister cities is a concept whereby towns or cities from geographically and politically distinct areas...
with:
VerdenVerden, Germany

Verden, also: Verden is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, on the river Aller....
, GermanyGermany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....

WarwickWarwick

Warwick is the historic county town of Warwickshire in England and has a population of 25,434....
, United KingdomUnited Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast...

HavelbergHavelberg

Havelberg is a town in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany....
, GermanyGermany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....

AshevilleAsheville, North Carolina

Asheville is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and is its county seat....
, North CarolinaNorth Carolina

North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern United States....
, United StatesUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...

RusetuRusetu

Rusetu is a commune in the Buzau County, Romania....
, RomaniaRomania Overview

Romania: is a country in Southeastern Europe....

External links

(in French)
- in English
- Article in the Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclo...
about a Catholic pilgrimage center in the town