Loir et Cher

Loir-et-Cher
département
Prefecture building of the Loir-et-Cher department, in Blois
Coat of arms
Location of Loir-et-Cher in France
Coordinates: 47°16′N 00°40′E / 47.267°N 0.667°E / 47.267; 0.667Coordinates: 47°16′N 00°40′E / 47.267°N 0.667°E / 47.267; 0.667
Country	France
Region	Centre-Val de Loire
Prefecture	Blois
Subprefectures	Romorantin-Lanthenay Vendôme
Government
• President of the General Council	Jean-Luc Brindeau (Nouveau Centre)
Area
• Total	6,343 km2 (2,449 sq mi)
Population (2013)
• Total	332,001
• Rank	71st
• Density	52/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Department number	41
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	15
Communes	276
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Loir-et-Cher (French pronunciation: ​[lwa.ʁ‿e.ʃɛʁ]) is a department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, France. Its name is originated from two rivers which cross it, the Loir on the North and the Cher on the South. Its prefecture is Blois. The INSEE and La Poste gave it the number 41.

The department of Loir-et-Cher covers a territory which had a substantial population during the prehistoric period. However it was not until the Middle Ages that local inhabitants built various castles and other fortifications to enable them to withstand a series of invasions of Normans, Bourguignons, the English and others.

The economy is quite flourishing: there are shops in valley, the agriculture is growing in the region of the Beauce and the Perche to the Sologne which knew a certain prosperity until the 17th century. However, politically, the region remains quartered between the earldoms and the duchies neighbouring. In 1397, the House of Orleans becomes the possession of the Comté of Blois. In 1497, Louis d’Orleans (23rd count hereditary of Blois) was crowned with the name of Louis XII. It’s the beginning of the importance of Blois and of the Blaisois in the politic life of the French, impressive especially under the last Valois. At this time, kings and important financials compete to build castles and elegant abodes which are today on the first place of the national heritage due to their quantity, their significance and their worth. (Chambord, Blois, Cheverny and so on.)

After that, there were religion’s wars which were extremely ferocious under Charles IX's reign. In 1576 and 1588, the General Estates get together in Blois. L’Orléanais, le Berry, la Touraine, le Perche et le Maine occupied le Loir-et-Cher and its provinces in 1970. The Loir-et-Cher’s birth as a department was very difficult and laborious. The 29th September 1789, the constitution’s advisory board made a report in which he wanted to attribute one of the 80 departments to Blois. However, some cities and canton capitals disagreed, such as Tours and Orleans. Inside of the department, Montrichard turns to Amboise and Tours, Saint-Aignan wants to turn to the Berry and Salbris to Vierzon.