| Sarthe | |
| Native Name Lang: | fr |
| Type: | Department |
| Coordinates: | 48.2833°N 13°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | France |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Pays de la Loire |
| Seat Type: | Prefecture |
| Seat: | Le Mans |
| Parts Type: | Subprefectures |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | La Flèche Mamers |
| Leader Title: | President of the Departmental Council |
| Leader Name: | Dominique Le Mèner[1] |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 6206 |
| Population Rank: | 46th |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Department number |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 72 |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Arrondissements |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 3 |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Cantons |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | 21 |
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Communes |
| Blank2 Info Sec2: | 354 |
| Timezone1: | CET |
| Utc Offset1: | +1 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +2 |
| Footnotes: | French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2 |
Sarthe (in French pronounced as /saʁt/) is a department of the French region of Pays de la Loire, and the province of Maine, situated in the Grand-Ouest of the country. It is named after the river Sarthe, which flows from east of Le Mans to just north of Angers. It had a population of 566,412 in 2019.[2]
In the late 18th century, before it was officially Sarthe, the nobility built their mansions and chateaux in this region, as an escape from Paris.
The department was created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790, pursuant to the law of 22 December 1789, starting from a part of the province of Maine. The latter was divided into two departments, Sarthe to the east and Mayenne to the west.[3]
In Roman times, this province contained the city of Mans, and many of its ruins are still standing. The Roman Thermal Bathhouse attracts many tourists, as does the Theater of Aubigné-Racan, both located on the outskirts of Anjou, Maine, and Touraine.
Marin Mersenne, perhaps the most important scientific figure in the early 17th century, was born in the vicinity of Sarthe.
The department of Sarthe is at the north end of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire. It is south of Normandy and on the southern edge of the Armorican Massif. It is bordered by the departments of Orne, Eure-et-Loir, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire and Mayenne.
The arrival of the railways in 1854 boosted trade for the local economy. A TGV connection was constructed in 1989, connecting the community to high-speed transport. In terms of road connections, the A11 autoroute, which was constructed to Le Mans from the east in 1978, enhances Sarthe's strategic position as the gateway to the French west.
The most populous commune is Le Mans, the prefecture. Approximately 370,000 people, comprising 65% of the department's population, live in the Le Mans urban area. The rest of the department retains a rural character, with agriculture as the chief part of the economy. As of 2019, there are 4 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:[2]
| Commune | Population (2019) | |
|---|---|---|
| Le Mans | 143,847 | |
| La Flèche | 14,858 | |
| Sablé-sur-Sarthe | 12,125 | |
| Allonnes | 11,167 |
Population development since 1801:
The department was the electoral base of former Prime Minister François Fillon, who since 2012 sits in the National Assembly of France for a constituency in central Paris. The president of the Departmental Council is Dominique Le Mèner, elected in 2015.
| Election | Winning Candidate | Party | % | 2nd Place Candidate | Party | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022[4] | Emmanuel Macron | LREM | 55.41 | Marine Le Pen | FN | 44.59 | ||
| 2017[5] | Emmanuel Macron | LREM | 63.33 | Marine Le Pen | FN | 36.67 | ||
| 2012 | François Hollande | PS | 52.67 | Nicolas Sarkozy | UMP | 47.33 | ||
| 2007 | Nicolas Sarkozy | UMP | 50.42 | Ségolène Royal | PS | 49.58 | ||
| 2002 | Jacques Chirac | RPR | 84.43 | Jean-Marie Le Pen | FN | 15.57 | ||
| 1995[6] | Lionel Jospin | PS | 50.79 | Jacques Chirac | RPR | 49.21 | ||