Editing Deux-Sèvres

{{short description|Department of France}}
{{about|the French départment|type of [[faience]]|Saint-Porchaire ware}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Deux-Sèvres
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = fr<!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| type                    = [[Departments of France|Department]]
| image_skyline           = Thouars - Hotel de Ville 02.jpg
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = The town hall of [[Thouars]]
| image_flag              = Drapeau fr département Deux-Sèvres.svg
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| image_shield            = Blason département fr Deux-Sèvres.svg
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| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Location of Deux-Sèvres in France
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| coordinates             = {{coord|46|30|N|00|20|E|region:FR_type:adm2nd_scale:2000000_source:frwiki|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[France]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of France|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]]
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| seat_type               = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]]
| seat                    = [[Niort]]
| parts_type              = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefectures]]
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = [[Bressuire]]<br>[[Parthenay]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| leader_party            = 
| leader_title            = [[President of the Departmental Council]]
| leader_name             = Coralie Denoues<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/601ef073-d986-4582-8e1a-ed14dc857fba|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=4 May 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
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| area_footnotes          = {{ref|area|1}}
| area_total_km2          = 5999
| area_note               = 
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| elevation_m             = 
| elevation_min_m         = 
| elevation_max_m         = 
| population_total        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_as_of        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes2}}
| population_rank         = [[List of French departments by population|63rd]]
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      = 
| population_note         = 
| blank_name_sec1         = [[Departments of France|Department number]]
| blank_info_sec1         = 79
| blank_name_sec2         = [[Arrondissements of France|Arrondissements]]
| blank_info_sec2         = [[arrondissements of the Deux-Sèvres department|3]]
| blank1_name_sec2        = [[Cantons in France|Cantons]]
| blank1_info_sec2        = [[cantons of the Deux-Sèvres department|17]]
| blank2_name_sec2        = [[Communes in France|Communes]]
| blank2_info_sec2        = [[communes of the Deux-Sèvres department|256]]
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
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| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               = 
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| website                 = 
| footnotes               = {{note|area|1}} French Land Register data, which exclude [[estuary|estuaries]], and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km<sup>2</sup>
}}
'''Deux-Sèvres''' ({{IPA|fr|dø sɛvʁ|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Deux-Sèvres.wav}}, [[Poitevin-Saintongese]]: ''Deùs Saevres'') is a [[departments of France|French department]]. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the [[Sèvre Nantaise]] and the [[Sèvre Niortaise]] are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a population of 374,878 in 2019.<ref name=pop2019>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep79.pdf Populations légales 2019: 79 Deux-Sèvres], INSEE</ref>

==In history and literature==
''Deux-Sèvres'' was one of the 83 original ''départements'' created during the [[French Revolution]] on 4 March 1790. The land had been part of the ancient province of [[Poitou]].

Departmental borders were changed in 1973 when the inhabitants of the little commune of [[:fr:Le Puy-Saint-Bonnet|Puy-Saint-Bonnet]] became formally [[Associated communes of France|associated]] with the rapidly growing adjacent commune of [[Cholet]], which is in the neighbouring department of [[Maine-et-Loire]]. To prevent the associated communes from being administered in separate departments, Puy-Saint-Bonnet was transferred into Maine-et-Loire.

Deux-Sevres features in ''Son Excellence Eugene Rougon'', a novel by Emile Zola in his Rougon-Macquart series, when Rougon visits Niort, the departmental capital, to open a new rail line to Angers (chapter 10).

== Geography and economics==
The climate is mild, the annual temperature averaging 11 degrees Celsius.

The ''département'' remains rural: three-quarters of the area consists of arable land. Wheat and oats are the main products grown, as well as potatoes, apples, and walnuts. [[Niort]] is the center for growing vegetables and [[angelica]]. Some beetroot is grown in the district of [[Melle, Deux-Sèvres|Melle]]. Vineyards are numerous in the north ({{Interlanguage link multi|Haut-poitou (AOVDQS)|fr}}), and there are some in the south.

The ''département'' is also well known for the breeding of cattle, mules, and horses. The [[Parthenais]] breed of cattle is named after the town of [[Parthenay]] in the north of the ''département''. Also, dairy products are produced in significant quantities (butter in [[Échiré]] and goats' cheese.

Some quarries are in operation (in [[Mazières-en-Gâtine]], [[La Peyratte]] or [[Saint-Varent]]), as well as lime extraction operations.

Textiles, leather-tanning, and flour milling were the traditional industries of Niort, the capital and major city. Nowadays, Niort, with 60,000 inhabitants, is an important commercial and administrative center. In particular it is one of the main financial centers in France (fourth in rank after Paris, Lyon and Lille). Niort is the national headquarters of some of the major insurance companies in France ({{Interlanguage link multi|Mutuelle d'assurance des artisans de France|fr}} (MAAF), {{Interlanguage link multi|Mutuelle assurance des commerçants et industriels de France et des cadres et des salariés de l'industrie et du commerce|fr}} (MACIF), {{Interlanguage link multi|Mutuelle d'assurance des instituteurs de France|fr}} (MAIF) and others) and regional headquarters of others such as [[Groupama]]. The regional headquarters of several national banks, including [[Banque Populaire]] and [[Crédit Agricole]], are also located there. The services sector is also heavily represented in Niort, in consulting, accounting, brokerage and software. Chemistry, pharmacy ([[Boiron]]) and aeronautics ([[Zodiac Group]], [[Leach International]])<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.leachintl2.com/french/historyf.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044415/http://www.leachintl2.com/french/historyf.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> are the main industries.

Textiles and shoe making, furnitures, mechanics, automotive ([[Heuliez]] and [[Iveco Bus|Irisbus]]), chemistry ([[Rhodia (company)|Rhodia]] in Melle), food industry and food packaging are the major industries outside of the capital.

The unemployment rate in the ''département'' is very low (less than 5%) especially in the north-west, where many small and medium companies are developing rapidly.

The south-west of the ''département'' attracts tourists with the [[Marais Poitevin]] natural area; the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast is close at hand.

== Demographics ==
Population development since 1801:{{historical populations|cols=2|align=none|percentages=pagr|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://splaf.free.fr/79his.html|title=Historique des Deux-Sèvres|website=Le SPLAF}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4176909?geo=DEP-79|title=Évolution et structure de la population en 2016|publisher=INSEE}}</ref>|graph-pos=bottom|13=1801|14=241,916|15=1806|16=254,105|17=1821|18=279,845|19=1831|20=288,260|21=1841|22=310,203|23=1851|24=323,615|25=1861|26=328,817|27=1872|28=331,243|29=1881|30=350,103|31=1891|32=354,282|33=1901|34=342,474|35=1911|36=337,627|37=1921|38=310,060|39=1931|40=308,481|41=1936|42=308,841|43=1946|44=312,756|45=1954|46=312,842|47=1962|48=321,118|49=1968|50=326,467|51=1975|52=335,829|53=1982|54=342,812|55=1990|56=346,173|57=1999|58=344,392|59=2006|60=359,711|61=2011|62=370,939|63=2016|64=374,743}}

===Principal towns===

The most populous commune is [[Niort]], the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 4 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:<ref name=pop2019/>

{| class=wikitable
! Commune
! Population (2019)
|-
| [[Niort]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 59,193
|-
| [[Bressuire]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 19,850
|-
| [[Thouars]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 13,886
|-
| [[Parthenay]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 10,089
|}

==Politics==

The president of the Departmental Council is Coralie Denoues, elected in July 2021.

===Current National Assembly Representatives===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/|title=Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français|first=Assemblée|last=Nationale|website=Assemblée nationale}}</ref>!!Party
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Radical Party (France)}}" |
| [[Deux-Sèvres's 1st constituency]]
| [[Bastien Marchive]]
| [[Radical Party (France)|PRV]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Ecology Generation}}" |
| [[Deux-Sèvres's 2nd constituency]]
| [[Delphine Batho]]
| [[Ecology Generation]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[Deux-Sèvres's 3rd constituency]]
| [[Jean-Marie Fiévet]]
| [[La République En Marche!]]
|}

==Transport==
Niort in the south of the ''département'' is connected to Paris and Bordeaux by the [[A10 autoroute (France)|A10]] motorway, with Nantes by the [[A83 autoroute|A83]], with La Rochelle and Poitiers]] by the N11. Another important road in the north of the ''département'' is the [[Route nationale 149|''Route nationale'' 149]] (RN149), which runs roughly east–west from [[Bressuire]] to Poitiers, passing around the outskirts of Parthenay. This section of the RN149 forms part of the [[European route E62]] from Nantes to [[Genoa]]. The road originally ran from Nantes, but has been bypassed in various stages by the new [[RN249]] dual carriageway.  The old section from Nantes to Bressuire has been either renamed or downgraded to the D149.

The north and south of the ''département'' are connected by relatively minor roads, with the D743 and D748 linking Niort to Parthenay and Bressuire respectively, whilst the D938 connects to [[Thouars]].<ref name=ign33>{{cite book | title = Carte de Promenade - 33 - Cholet Niort | publisher = [[Institut Géographique National]] }}</ref>

The ''département'' has two railway stations on the [[TGV]] route between Paris and La Rochelle (Niort and [[Saint-Maixent]]), with a journey from Niort to Paris taking 2h15.<ref name=tgv>{{cite web | title = TGV | url = http://www.tgv.com/ | publisher = [[SNCF]] | access-date = 2008-08-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140521025340/http://www.tgv.com/ | archive-date = 2014-05-21 | url-status = dead }}</ref> It is also served by several [[TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] regional railway routes, including a route from Poitiers via Niort to La Rochelle, a route from Niort to [[Saintes, Charente-Maritime|Saintes]], and a route from [[Tours]] to Thouars and Bressuire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mmt.vsct.fr/sites/default/files/swt/CNAQ/2021-11/RNA-Carte%20Reseau%20TER-A0-0221HDV3_tcm78-165262_tcm78-165261_0.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://mmt.vsct.fr/sites/default/files/swt/CNAQ/2021-11/RNA-Carte%20Reseau%20TER-A0-0221HDV3_tcm78-165262_tcm78-165261_0.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Plan du réseau TER en Nouvelle-Aquitaine|website=www.ter.sncf.com|language=fr|access-date=26 April 2022}}</ref> The ''région'' of Nouvelle-Aquitaine provides inter-urban bus service that connects the towns and villages of the ''département''.<ref name=trans>{{cite web | title = Les lignes régulières dans les Deux-Sèvres | url = https://transports.nouvelle-aquitaine.fr/cars-regionaux/reseau-et-horaires/deux-sevres | publisher = Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine | access-date = 26 April 2022}}</ref>

There are no airports with scheduled airline service within the ''département'', although {{Interlanguage link multi|Niort-Souche Airport|fr|3=Aérodrome de Niort - Souché}} is used for private movements. The nearest commercial airports are at Poitiers ([[Poitiers - Biard Airport]]), La Rochelle ([[La Rochelle - Île de Ré Airport]]) and Nantes ([[Nantes Atlantique Airport]]).

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="250" mode="packed">
File:Panorama Niort.jpg|[[Niort]]
File:Parthenay Citadel from Saint-Paul Bridge 2.jpg|[[Parthenay]]
File:Thouars - Hotel de Ville 02.jpg|[[Thouars]]
File:Bressuire (13).JPG|[[Bressuire]]
File:Coulon-Eglise.jpg|[[Coulon, Deux-Sèvres|Coulon]]
</gallery>

== Notable people ==
'''Famous births in the ''département''''':
* [[Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon]] (1635&ndash;1719), second wife of [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]]
* [[Jacques de Liniers]] (Santiago de Liniers y Bremond) (1753&ndash;1810) 
* [[Louis-Marcelin de Fontanes|Louis-Marcelin, marquis de Fontanes]] (1757&ndash;1821), [[poet]] and politician
* [[Henri-Georges Clouzot]] (1904&ndash;1977), [[film director]]
* [[Laurent Cantet]] (1961), [[Palme d'Or]] at the [[Festival de Cannes]] 2008, for the movie ''[[Entre les murs]]''
* [[Catherine Breillat]] (1948), [[film maker]] and [[novelist]]
* [[Jean-Hugues Anglade]] (1955), actor
* [[René Caillié]] (1799&ndash;1838) [[explorer]], and the first European to return alive from the town of [[Timbuktu]]

'''Famous people related to the ''département''''':
* [[Jean-Baptiste Baujault]], French sculptor
* [[Ségolène Royal]] (1953), former candidate for the [[2007 French presidential election]], former representative of the department at the [[National Assembly of France|National Assembly]], former President of the [[Poitou-Charentes]] region (2004-2014) and [[Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy|Minister of Ecology]] since 2014.

==See also==
*[[Anjou wine]]
*[[Arrondissements of the Deux-Sèvres department]]
*[[Cantons of the Deux-Sèvres department]]
*[[Communes of the Deux-Sèvres department]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.deux-sevres.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website] 
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.deux-sevres.fr/ Departmental council website]

{{Departments of France}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deux-Sevres}}
[[Category:Deux-Sèvres| ]]
[[Category:1790 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Departments of Nouvelle-Aquitaine]]
[[Category:2 (number)]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1790]]