Saint-Satur

Saint-Satur
An aerial view of Saint-Satur An aerial view of Saint-Satur
Coat of arms of Saint-Satur Coat of arms
Saint-Satur
Location within Centre region Saint-Satur
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Centre-Val de Loire
Department	Cher
Arrondissement	Bourges
Canton	Sancerre
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Guy Poubeau
Area1	7.86 km2 (3.03 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	1,659
• Density	210/km2 (550/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	18233 / 18300
Elevation	144–273 m (472–896 ft) (avg. 180 m or 590 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

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.

History

Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic 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-sur-Loire 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.

Geography

In the south-eastern part of the commune, the river Vauvise flows into the Loire, which forms all of the commune's eastern boundary.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	1,661	—
1968	1,759	+5.9%
1975	1,774	+0.9%
1982	1,961	+10.5%
1990	1,805	−8.0%
1999	1,731	−4.1%
2008	1,659	−4.2%

See also

• Communes of the Cher department

References

• INSEE