Thouars

French commune
nomcommune=Thouars
Château de La Trémoille in Thouars
région=Poitou-Charentes
département=Deux-Sèvres
arrondissement=Bressuire
canton=Chief town of 2 cantons
insee=79329
cp=79100
maire=Alain Ligné
mandat=
intercomm=Communauté
de communes
du Thouarsais
longitude=-0.2141666
latitude=46.975833
alt moy=100
alt mini=
alt maxi=
hectares=1,209
km²= | sans=11,158
date-sans=1999
dens=
date-dens=1999

Thouars is a town and commune of France, situated in the "département" of Deux-Sèvres in the Poitou-Charentes "région". It is on the River Thouet. Its inhabitants are known as "les Thouarsais" and "les Thouarsaises".

History

Thouars was the birthplace of the medieval general Louis de La Trémoille. In 1619 his heir Henri de La Trémoille married Marie de la Tour d'Auvergne, sister of Turenne. She razed the old gothic château-fort to build the present château.

Main sights

The Castle ("château") was designed by Jacques Lemercier and completed in the brief space of three years, 1635–1638. Its main façade is more than 110 m. The Trémouilles were dispossessed at the Revolution and the château became a barracks and later a prison. It has been restored for its present use as a school.

Miscellaneous

Births

Thouars was the birthplace of:
* Louis II de La Trémoille (1460–1525), general
* Jean-Hugues Anglade (born 1955), actor

Twin towns

Thouars is twinned with:
* - Diepholz, Germany
* - Port-Gentil, Gabon
* - Hannut, Belgium
* Helensburgh, Scotland
* - Slavicin, Czech Republic

External links

* [http://www.thouars.fr/ Official town website]
* [http://hebergement.ac-poitiers.fr/c-ta-thouars/chateau.htm Château de Thouars]