Deux-Sèvres
Encyclopedia
Deux-Sèvres is a French
département. Deux-Sèvres literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise
and the Sèvre Niortaise
are two rivers which have their sources in the department.
on March 4, 1790.
Departmental borders were changed in 1973 when the inhabitants of the little commune of Puy-Saint-Bonnet became formally associated with the rapidly growing adjacent commune of Cholet
. Cholet is in the neighbouring department of Maine-et-Loire
: in order to avoid the associated communes being administered in separate departments, Puy-Saint-Bonnet was transferred into Maine-et-Loire
.
The département remains rural: three-quarters of the area consists of arable land
. Wheat
and oat
s are the main products grown, as well as potato
es, apple
s, and walnut
s. Niort
is the center for growing vegetable
s and angelica
. Some beet
root is grown in the district of Melle
. Vineyards are numerous in the north (Vins du Haut-Poitou), and there are some in the south. The département is also well known for the breeding of cattle
, mule
s, and horse
s. The Parthenais
breed of cattle is named after the town of Parthenay
in the north of the département. Also, dairy products are produced in significant quantities (butter
in Échiré
and goats' cheese).
Some quarries are in operation (in Mazières-en-Gâtine
, La Peyratte
or Saint-Varent
), as well as lime extraction operations.
Textiles, leather-tanning, and flour milling were the traditional industries of Niort
, the capital and major city. Nowadays, Niort
, with 60,000 inhabitants, is an important commercial and administrative center; in particular it is one of the main financial centers in France
(fourth in rank after Paris
, Lyon
and Lille
). Niort is the national headquarters of some of the major insurance companies in France (MAAF, MACIF, MAIF and others) and regional headquarters of others such as Groupama
. The regional headquarters of several national banks including Banque Populaire and Crédit Agricole
are located there. The services sector is also heavily represented in Niort
, in consulting, accounting, brokerage and software. Chemistry, pharmacy (Boiron
) and aeronautics (Zodiac Group
, Leach International) are the main industries.
Textiles and shoe making, furnitures, mechanics, automotive (Heuliez
and Irisbus
), chemistry (Rhodia
in Melle
), food industry and food packaging are the major industries outside of the capital.
The unemployment rate in the département is very low (less than 5%) especially in the north-west, where many small and medium companies are developing rapidly.
The south-west of the département interests tourists with the Marais Poitevin
natural area; the Atlantic
coast is close at hand.
and Bordeaux
by the A10
motorway, with Nantes
by the A83
, with La Rochelle
and Poitiers
by the N11. Another important road in the north of the département is the Route nationale 149
(RN149), which runs roughly east-west from Mortagne-sur-Sèvre
to Poitiers, passing through Bressuire
and Parthenay
. The RN149 forms part of the European route E62
from Nantes to Genoa
. In Autumn 2008, the Route nationale 249 (RN249), currently running from Nantes to Cholet
, was extended, continuing, eventually, towards Bressuire and on to Poitiers. This will become part of the E62 and bypass the current RN149.
The north and south of the département are connected by relatively minor roads, with the D743 and D748 linking Niort to Parthenay and Bressuire respectively, whilst the D938 connects to Thouars
.
The département has two railway stations on the TGV
route between Paris and La Rochelle (Niort and Saint-Maixent
), with a journey from Niort to Paris
taking 2h15. It is also served by several TER Poitou-Charentes
regional railway routes, including a route from Poitiers via Niort to La Rochelle, a route from Niort to Saintes
, and a route from Tours
to Thouars and Bressuire. A railway bus service operated as part of the TER Poitou-Charentes network follows the RN149 from Poitiers to Nantes, calling at Parthenay and Bressuire. Additionally the département provides the Réseau des Deux-Sèvres, an inter-urban bus service that connects the towns and villages of the département.
There are no airports with scheduled airline service within the département, although Niort - Souche Airport is used for private movements. The nearest commercial airports are at Poitiers (Poitiers - Biard Airport), La Rochelle (La Rochelle - Île de Ré Airport
) and Nantes (Nantes Atlantique Airport
).
Famous people related to the département :
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...
département. Deux-Sèvres literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise
Sèvre Nantaise
The Sèvre Nantaise is a river in western France, left tributary to the river Loire. Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres département, near Secondigny.It flows through the following départements and towns:*Deux-Sèvres: Moncoutant, La Forêt-sur-Sèvre...
and the Sèvre Niortaise
Sèvre Niortaise
The Sèvre Niortaise is a river in western France, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres département, near Sepvret, north of Melle.It flows through the following départements and towns:...
are two rivers which have their sources in the department.
History
Deux-Sèvres was one of the 83 original départements created during the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
on March 4, 1790.
Departmental borders were changed in 1973 when the inhabitants of the little commune of Puy-Saint-Bonnet became formally associated with the rapidly growing adjacent commune of Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
. Cholet is in the neighbouring department of Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
: in order to avoid the associated communes being administered in separate departments, Puy-Saint-Bonnet was transferred into Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
.
Geography and economics
The climate is mild, the annual temperature averaging 11 degrees Celsius.The département remains rural: three-quarters of the area consists of arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
. Wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and oat
Oat
The common oat is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name . While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed...
s are the main products grown, as well as potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, and walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
s. Niort
Niort
Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.The Latin name of the city was Novioritum.The population of Niort is 60,486 and more than 137,000 people live in the urban area....
is the center for growing vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s and angelica
Angelica
Angelica is a genus of about 60 species of tall biennial and perennial herbs in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, reaching as far North as Iceland and Lapland...
. Some beet
Beet
The beet is a plant in the Chenopodiaceae family which is now included in Amaranthaceae family. It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet...
root is grown in the district of Melle
Melle, Deux-Sèvres
Melle is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.It is today best known as the home town of Ségolène Royal, the 2007 Socialist candidate for the election of the Presidency of the Republic. Laurent Cantet was also born here.-History:...
. Vineyards are numerous in the north (Vins du Haut-Poitou), and there are some in the south. The département is also well known for the breeding of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
s, and horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s. The Parthenais
Parthenais
Parthenais is a beef breed from the Deux-Sèvres départment of western France.-History:The name comes from Parthenay, a town which was an important cattle market during Middle Ages. The golden age of this breed was the second part of 19th century, with the French herdbook being established in 1893,...
breed of cattle is named after the town of Parthenay
Parthenay
Parthenay is an ancient fortified town and commune in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France, sited on a rocky spur that is surrounded on two sides by the River Thouet...
in the north of the département. Also, dairy products are produced in significant quantities (butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
in Échiré
Échiré
Échiré is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.-History:Knowledge of Echiré has been enhanced by recent archeological investigations...
and goats' cheese).
Some quarries are in operation (in Mazières-en-Gâtine
Mazières-en-Gâtine
Mazières-en-Gâtine is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.-References:*...
, La Peyratte
La Peyratte
La Peyratte is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.-References:*...
or Saint-Varent
Saint-Varent
Saint-Varent is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.-References:*...
), as well as lime extraction operations.
Textiles, leather-tanning, and flour milling were the traditional industries of Niort
Niort
Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.The Latin name of the city was Novioritum.The population of Niort is 60,486 and more than 137,000 people live in the urban area....
, the capital and major city. Nowadays, Niort
Niort
Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.The Latin name of the city was Novioritum.The population of Niort is 60,486 and more than 137,000 people live in the urban area....
, with 60,000 inhabitants, is an important commercial and administrative center; in particular it is one of the main financial centers in 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...
(fourth in rank after Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
). Niort is the national headquarters of some of the major insurance companies in France (MAAF, MACIF, MAIF and others) and regional headquarters of others such as Groupama
Groupama
Groupama contraction of GROUPe des Assurances Mutuelles Agricoles is an international insurance group based in Paris, France...
. The regional headquarters of several national banks including Banque Populaire and Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole S.A. is the largest retail banking group in France, second largest in Europe and the eighth largest in the world by Tier 1 capital according to The Banker magazine. It is also part of the CAC 40 stock market index....
are located there. The services sector is also heavily represented in Niort
Niort
Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.The Latin name of the city was Novioritum.The population of Niort is 60,486 and more than 137,000 people live in the urban area....
, in consulting, accounting, brokerage and software. Chemistry, pharmacy (Boiron
Boiron
Boiron is a manufacturer of homeopathic products, headquartered in France and with an operating presence in 59 countries worldwide. It is the largest manufacturer of homeopathic products in the world. In 2004, it employed a workforce of 2,779 and had a turnover of € 313 million...
) and aeronautics (Zodiac Group
Zodiac Group
Zodiac, which became Zodiac Aerospace in 2007, is a French corporation, specialized in the production and development of on-board systems, safety systems and cabin interiors...
, Leach International) are the main industries.
Textiles and shoe making, furnitures, mechanics, automotive (Heuliez
Heuliez
Heuliez is a French company that works as a production and design unit for various automakers. It specializes in producing short series for niche markets, such as convertibles or station-wagons....
and Irisbus
Irisbus
Irisbus is a bus manufacturer which was formed through the merger of the bus and coach divisions of Fiat Industrial, Iveco and Renault in January 1999 and Ikarus Bus in late 1999...
), chemistry (Rhodia
Rhodia (company)
Rhodia is a group specialized in fine chemistry, synthetic fibers and polymers. Rhodia is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange on NYSE Euronext. The company services the consumer goods, automotive, energy, manufacturing and processes and electronics markets...
in Melle
Melle, Deux-Sèvres
Melle is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.It is today best known as the home town of Ségolène Royal, the 2007 Socialist candidate for the election of the Presidency of the Republic. Laurent Cantet was also born here.-History:...
), food industry and food packaging are the major industries outside of the capital.
The unemployment rate in the département is very low (less than 5%) especially in the north-west, where many small and medium companies are developing rapidly.
The south-west of the département interests tourists with the Marais Poitevin
Marais Poitevin
The Marais Poitevin is a large area of marshland in Western France, a remnant of the former Gulf of Poitou...
natural area; the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast is close at hand.
Transport
Niort in the south of the département is connected to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
by the A10
A10 autoroute (France)
The A10, also called L'Aquitaine, is an Autoroute in France, running for 549 km from the A6 south of Paris to the A630 at Bordeaux. It generally parallels the N10 Route Nationale, but deviates significantly from the older N10 between Paris and Tours and between Poitiers and Bordeaux...
motorway, with Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
by the A83
A83 autoroute
The A83 autoroute is a motorway in France. It is in the departments of Pays-de-la-Loire and Poitou-Charentes operated by ASF. It connects Nantes to Niort via Fontenay-le-Comte. The motorway has a junction with the A10 at Niort which gives access to the north and to Bordeaux connection. The A83...
, with La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
and Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
by the N11. Another important road in the north of the département is the Route nationale 149
Route nationale 149
The Route nationale 149 is a trunk road in western France.-Bressuire to Parthenay :Once around the duel-carriageway that bypasses Bressuire town, the road heads south east towards Parthenay. It cuts through the villages of Saint-Sauveur and Chiche before turning south, cutting across the D46 at...
(RN149), which runs roughly east-west from Mortagne-sur-Sèvre
Mortagne-sur-Sèvre
Mortagne-sur-Sèvre is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-References:*...
to Poitiers, passing through Bressuire
Bressuire
Bressuire is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in France. The town is situated on an eminence overlooking the Dolo, a tributary of the Argenton.-Notable buildings:...
and Parthenay
Parthenay
Parthenay is an ancient fortified town and commune in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France, sited on a rocky spur that is surrounded on two sides by the River Thouet...
. The RN149 forms part of the European route E62
European route E62
The European route E 62 is a road in Europe and a part of the United Nations International E-road network. Approximately long, it connects the French Atlantic port city of Nantes to Genoa, largest of Italy's port cities. Between France and Italy it also passes through Switzerland, via...
from Nantes to Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. In Autumn 2008, the Route nationale 249 (RN249), currently running from Nantes to Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
, was extended, continuing, eventually, towards Bressuire and on to Poitiers. This will become part of the E62 and bypass the current RN149.
The north and south of the département are connected by relatively minor roads, with the D743 and D748 linking Niort to Parthenay and Bressuire respectively, whilst the D938 connects to Thouars
Thouars
Thouars is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.It is on the River Thouet. Its inhabitants are known as Thouarsais.-History:...
.
The département has two railway stations on the TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
route between Paris and La Rochelle (Niort and Saint-Maixent
Saint-Maixent
Saint-Maixent is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-References:*...
), with a journey from Niort to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
taking 2h15. It is also served by several TER Poitou-Charentes
TER Poitou-Charentes
TER Poitou-Charentes the regional rail network serving the Poitou-Charentes région, France.- Rail :- Road :* Angoulême - Jonzac* Poitiers - Parthenay - Bressuire - Cholet - Nantes* Thouars - Loudun - Chinon...
regional railway routes, including a route from Poitiers via Niort to La Rochelle, a route from Niort to Saintes
Saintes
Saintes is a French commune located in Poitou-Charentes, in the southwestern Charente-Maritime department of which it is a sub-prefecture. Its inhabitants are called Saintaises and Saintais....
, and a route from Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
to Thouars and Bressuire. A railway bus service operated as part of the TER Poitou-Charentes network follows the RN149 from Poitiers to Nantes, calling at Parthenay and Bressuire. Additionally the département provides the Réseau des Deux-Sèvres, an inter-urban bus service that connects the towns and villages of the département.
There are no airports with scheduled airline service within the département, although Niort - Souche Airport is used for private movements. The nearest commercial airports are at Poitiers (Poitiers - Biard Airport), La Rochelle (La Rochelle - Île de Ré Airport
La Rochelle - Île de Ré Airport
La Rochelle - Île de Ré Airport is an airport located 2.5 km northwest of La Rochelle, a commune of the département of Charente-Maritime in France...
) and Nantes (Nantes Atlantique Airport
Nantes Atlantique Airport
Nantes Atlantique Airport is an international airport serving Nantes, France. It is located southwest of the city, in Bouguenais.The airport is operated by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Nantes...
).
Births
Famous births in the département :- Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de MaintenonFrançoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de MaintenonFrançoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
(1635–1719), second wife of Louis XIVLouis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days... - Jacques de Liniers (Santiago de Liniers y Remond) (1753–1810)
- Louis-Marcelin, marquis de FontanesLouis-Marcelin de FontanesLouis-Marcelin, marquis de Fontanes was a French poet and politician.-Biography:Born in Niort , he belonged to a noble Protestant family of Languedoc which had been reduced to poverty by the revocation of the edict of Nantes. His father and grandfather remained Protestant, but he was himself...
(1757–1821), poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and politician - Henri-Georges ClouzotHenri-Georges ClouzotHenri-Georges Clouzot was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed The Wages of Fear and Les Diaboliques, which are critically recognized to be among the greatest films from the 1950s...
(1904–1977), film directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... - Laurent CantetLaurent CantetLaurent Cantet is a French director, born on June 15, 1961 at Melle . His parents were schoolteachers in Ardilleux.On 25 May 2008, he received the Palme d'Or at the Festival de Cannes 2008, for the movie Entre les murs.- As director :...
(1961), Palme d'OrPalme d'OrThe Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the Festival de Cannes 2008, for the movie Entre les mursEntre les mursThe Class is a 2008 French drama film directed by Laurent Cantet. Its original French title is Entre les murs, which translates literally to "Between the walls". It is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by François Bégaudeau... - Catherine BreillatCatherine BreillatCatherine Breillat is a French filmmaker, novelist and Professor of Auteur Cinema at the European Graduate School.-Life and career:Breillat was born in Bressuire, Deux-Sèvres, but grew up in Niort...
(1948), film maker and novelist - Jean-Hugues AngladeJean-Hugues AngladeJean-Hugues Anglade is a French actor, film director and screenwriter, best known for his roles as Eric in Killing Zoe, Zorg in Betty Blue and Marco, the boyfriend of Nikita, in Nikita....
(1955), actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - René CailléRené CailléRené Caillié was a French explorer, and the first European to return alive from the town of Timbuktu.Caillié was born at Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon, Deux-Sèvres, Poitou, the son of a baker. He was born into the lowest levels of European society...
(1799–1838) explorer, and the first European to return alive from the town of TimbuktuTimbuktuTimbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...
Famous people related to the département :
- Ségolène RoyalSégolène RoyalMarie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party...
(1953), former candidate for the 2007 French presidential election, former representative of the department at the National Assembly and current President of the Poitou-CharentesPoitou-CharentesPoitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...
region
See also
- Cantons of the Deux-Sèvres department
- Communes of the Deux-Sèvres department
- Arrondissements of the Deux-Sèvres department
- Anjou wineAnjou wineAnjou wine is produced in the Loire Valley wine region of France near the city of Angers. The wines of region are often grouped together with the wines of nearby Saumur as "Anjou-Saumur"...