Tartaras

Tartaras
Double lock and rock tunnel
Coat of arms
Tartaras
Location within Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region  Tartaras
Coordinates: 45°33′17″N 4°40′09″E / 45.5547°N 4.6692°E / 45.5547; 4.6692Coordinates: 45°33′17″N 4°40′09″E / 45.5547°N 4.6692°E / 45.5547; 4.6692
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Loire
Arrondissement	Saint-Étienne
Canton	Rive-de-Gier
Government
• Mayor	Gérard Manet
Area1	3.91 km2 (1.51 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	720
• Density	180/km2 (480/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code	42307 /42800
Elevation	190–348 m (623–1,142 ft) (avg. 320 m or 1,050 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Tartaras is a commune in the Loire department in central France. It is in the Gier valley just north of the river, between Rive-de-Gier to the west and Saint-Romain-en-Gier to the east.

The village dates back to the Roman era. Gallo-Roman sarcophagi are still visible in the town. During the 19th century Tartarus was in the heart of a coal basin.

The maison familiale rurale de Tartaras (Tartarus rural family home) is an institution recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture that offers training schemes in the 4th of the professional baccalaureate: horticulture and landscape works.

The Givors canal, built in 1761-81, passed by the village. At coordinates 45°33′00″N 4°40′25″E / 45.550114°N 4.673738°E / 45.550114; 4.673738 in Tartaras a tunnel 100 metres (330 ft) long and 5 metres (16 ft) wide was broken through solid rock. The tunnel and double lock at its entrance have been preserved as a monument, although the canal has mostly been filled in.