La Ferté-Bernard
La Ferté-Bernard (French pronunciation: [la fɛʁte bɛʁnaʁ]) is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region in north-western France.
La Ferté-Bernard | |
|---|---|
The church of Notre-Dame des Marais | |
Coat of arms | |
La Ferté-Bernard La Ferté-Bernard | |
| Coordinates: 48°11′15″N 0°39′19″E / 48.1875°N 0.6553°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Pays de la Loire |
| Department | Sarthe |
| Arrondissement | Mamers |
| Canton | La Ferté-Bernard |
| Intercommunality | Pays de l'Huisne Sarthoise |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Didier Reveau[1] |
| Area 1 | 14.96 km2 (5.78 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 8,799 |
| • Density | 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Fertois, Fertoise |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 72132 /72400 |
| Elevation | 79–146 m (259–479 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
History edit
La Ferté-Bernard owes its origin and name to a stronghold (fermeté) built about the 11th century and afterwards held by the family of Bernard. In 1424 it did not succumb to the English troops until after a four months' siege. It belonged in the 16th century to the family of Guise and supported the League, but was captured by the royal forces in 1590.[3]
La Ferté-Bernard was involved in the 1906 Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, the world's first motoring Grand Prix. The D97 towards Le Mans and the D1 towards Vibraye and Saint-Calais formed two sides of the triangular course.
Population edit
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 7,444 | — |
| 1975 | 9,137 | +2.97% |
| 1982 | 9,614 | +0.73% |
| 1990 | 9,355 | −0.34% |
| 1999 | 9,239 | −0.14% |
| 2007 | 9,251 | +0.02% |
| 2012 | 9,074 | −0.39% |
| 2017 | 8,820 | −0.57% |
| Source: INSEE[4] | ||
Notable people edit
Louise du Pierry, astronomer, was born here[5] on 7/30/1746 or 8/1/1746 as Elisabeth Louise Felicite Pourra de la Madeleine.
Local folklore edit
La Ferte-Bernard is connected with a mythical dragon called the Peluda, which is said to have terrorized the town in medieval times.
Twin towns edit
It is twinned with Louth in Lincolnshire.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "La Ferté-Bernard". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 68.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- ^ Bernardi, Gabriella (2016-03-14). The Unforgotten Sisters: Female Astronomers and Scientists before Caroline Herschel. ISBN 9783319261270.