Saint-Satur
Encyclopedia
Saint-Satur is a commune
in the Cher department in central France
.
It is a medieval town near the Loire River in the former province of Berry
.
settled by the powerful Celt
ic 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.
An Augustinian
abbey was founded in Saint Satur in 1034. During the Hundred Years' War
, the Augustine Abbey was destroyed.
Area transportation was improved by the construction of a suspension bridge at Saint Thibault (1834), the Canal latéral à la Loire
(1838) and later, the Bourges-Sancerre-Cosne railroad line (1885).
During World War II
, Saint Satur, with Sancerre, 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.
flows into the Loire, which forms all of the commune's eastern border.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Cher department in central France
France
The 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...
.
It is a medieval town near the Loire River in the former province of Berry
Berry (province)
Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790....
.
History
Located in the area of GaulGaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
settled by the powerful Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic tribe, the Bituriges
Bituriges
The Bituriges was a tribe with its capital at Bourges .Early in the 1st century BCE, they had been one of the main tribes, especially in terms of Druids and their political influence. But they soon declined in power as the Druids were an important target for Julius Caesar in his conquest of Gaul...
, or the "Kings of the World", and after their defeat at Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
(Avaricum), part of Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Aquitania
Gallia Aquitania
Gallia Aquitania was a province of the Roman Empire, bordered by the provinces of Gallia Lugdunensis, Gallia Narbonensis, and Hispania Tarraconensis...
. 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
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
(Gordaine) from Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
to the Roman bridge over the Loire River in Saint Thibault.
An Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
abbey was founded in Saint Satur in 1034. During the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the Augustine Abbey was destroyed.
Area transportation was improved by the construction of a suspension bridge at Saint Thibault (1834), the Canal latéral à la Loire
Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...
(1838) and later, the Bourges-Sancerre-Cosne railroad line (1885).
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Saint Satur, with Sancerre, was a regional command center for the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. "Operation Spencer” in 1944 was to prevent the Germans from crossing the Loire River between Gien
Gien
Gien is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Gien is on the Loire River, from Orléans. The town was bought for the royal property by Philip II of France. The town is twinned with Malmesbury in England.-Sights:*Faience de Gien...
and Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
and reinforcing troops in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. The French Resistance and Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
blew up the bridge at Saint Thibault and sabotaged communication, road and railway lines.
Geography
In the south-eastern part of the commune, the river VauviseVauvise
The Vauvise is a long river in the Cher département, central France. Its source is at Nérondes. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Loire into which it flows at Saint-Satur, near Sancerre.-Communes along its course:...
flows into the Loire, which forms all of the commune's eastern border.