Couture-sur-Loir

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

It is situated in the north west of the Loir-et-Cher département, 33 km (21 mi) to the west of Vendôme. It lies mainly on the left bank of the Loir River.

Geography

Couture is in the canton of Montoire-sur-le-Loir, which corresponds to the historic Bas-Vendômois district.

Adjacent to the village centre (with a crossroad street pattern) or bourg are two parallel settlements, Le Poirier and more distinctly Le Pin.

Economy

The main industry (apart from farming and tourism) is gravel extraction; excavated areas have been adapted for water sports. A number of inhabitants are employed by the paper manufacturers at Bessé-sur-Braye (Sarthe).

History

It is first referred to as Villas culturas in a charter of the 9th century bishop of Le Mans, Saint Aldric (earlier references are doubtless fictitious).

A partial source for the history of Couture in the later 17th century are the memoirs of Louis XIV's valet, Marie Dubois, who came from the village.