Indre-et-Loire

Infobox_Department_of_France
department=Indre-et-Loire|number=37
region=Centre
prefecture=Tours
subprefectures=Chinon
Loches
population=554,003|pop_date=1999|pop_rank=41st|density=90
area=6127|area_scale=9
arrond=3|cantons=37|communes=277
president=Marc Pommereau|pres_party=
img_coa=Blason dpt fr IndreLoire.svg

Indre-et-Loire is a department in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers.

History

Indre-et-Loire is one of the original 83 "départements" created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from the former province of Touraine.

Tours was a center of learning in the early Middle Ages.

Geography

Indre-et-Loire is part of the current region of Centre (Val de Loire) and is surrounded by the "départements" of Loir-et-Cher, Indre, Vienne, Maine-et-Loire, and Sarthe.

Tourism

Indre-et-Loire is home to numerous outstanding châteaux that are open to the public, among them are the following:
* Château d'Amboise
* Azay-le-Rideau
* Château de la Bourdaisière
* Château de Chenonceau
* Château de Plessis-lez-Tours
* Chinon
* Courcelles-de-Touraine
* Château de Langeais
* Marcay
* Montpoupon
* Tours
* Château de Villandry
* Château du Rivau
* Loches

ee also

*Cantons of the Indre-et-Loire department
*Communes of the Indre-et-Loire department
*Arrondissements of the Indre-et-Loire department

External links

* [http://www.indre-et-loire.pref.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website]
* [http://www.cg37.fr/ General Council website]
* ODP|Regional/Europe/France/Regions/Centre/Indre-et-Loire|Indre-et-Loire

*http://www.tourism-touraine.com/
* [http://www.quid.fr/departements.html?mode=detail&dep=37&style=map Map of the department]