Montoire-sur-le-Loir (French pronunciation: ​[mɔ̃twaʁ syʁ lə lwaʁ], literally Montoire on the Loir), commonly known as Montoire, is a commune near Vendôme, in the Loir-et-Cher department in Centre-Val de Loire, France.[2]

Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Commune
The main square of the town
Coat of arms
Location of Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Montoire-sur-le-Loir Show map of France Montoire-sur-le-Loir Show map of Centre-Val de Loire
Coordinates: 47°45′18″N 0°51′52″E
Country	France
Region	Centre-Val de Loire
Department	Loir-et-Cher
Arrondissement	Vendôme
Canton	Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Intercommunality	CA Territoires Vendômois
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Arnaud Tafilet
Area 1	21.02 km2 (8.12 sq mi)
Population  (Jan. 2019)[1]	3,721
• Density	180/km2 (460/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	41149 /41800
Elevation	60–146 m (197–479 ft) (avg. 70 m or 230 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

Montoire-sur-le-Loir is known as the location where, on 24 October 1940, the famous handshake between Adolf Hitler and Philippe Pétain took place signifying the start of organised collaboration of Vichy France with the Nazi regime. The meeting took place in a railway car just outside the town's railway station. The discussion was entirely a matter of generalities, with no specifics discussed or decided. Hitler was impressed with Pétain's commitment to defending the French colonial empire. False rumours abounded that France had made major concessions regarding colonies and German control of French ports and the French fleet.[3] This was announced to the French public on 30 October in a radio broadcast speech when Pétain declared, "I enter, today, into the way of collaboration."[4]

Two days previously, Pierre Laval had had a meeting with Hitler in the same location and suggested to Hitler that he meets with Pétain.

Montoire was chosen because of its relative isolation and also its proximity to the main Paris-Hendaye train line, Hitler having met with Franco at Hendaye on the 23rd. Besides, in case of an aerial attack, the train could have found shelter in the nearby tunnel in Saint-Rimay. The tunnel had armored doors, which are still visible, installed for the meeting. German command posts were established at Saint-Rimay and Thoré-la-Rochette with direct contact to Berlin.

Population

International relations

Montoire-sur-le-Loir is twinned with:

• Łowicz, Poland

See also

• Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department
• Bas-Vendômois
• Château de Montoire

References

External links

• NAZI Diplomacy: Vichy France, 1940

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