Montargis
Montargis
Administration
Country	France
Region	Centre
Department	Loiret
Arrondissement	Montargis
Canton	Montargis
Intercommunality	Montargoise et Rives du Loing
Mayor	Jean-Pierre Door (2001–2008)
Statistics
Elevation	82–112 m (269–367 ft) (avg. 85 m or 279 ft)
Land area1	4.46 km2 (1.72 sq mi)
Population2	15,030  (1999)
- Density	3,370 /km2 (8,700 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	45208/ 45200
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 47°59′52″N 2°44′00″E / 47.9978°N 2.7333°E / 47.9978; 2.7333

Floorplan of the Château de Montargis

Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France on the Loing river. The town is located about 110 km (68 mi) south of Paris and 70 km (43 mi) east of Orléans in the Gâtinais.

Montargis is the second largest city in the Loiret, after Orléans. It is near a large forest, and contains light industry and farming, including saffron. Due to its numerous canals and bridges, Montargis sometimes bills itself as the "Venice of the Gâtinais." Though quite modern, it retains a medieval charm in its downtown area.

History[link]

Though the town is known to date to ancient times, during the Renaissance fanciful etymologies were invented to account for the place name Montargis, whether as mons argi, Mount of Argus, the place where the jealous goddess Juno charged Argus with guarding her rival Io, or connected with the chieftain Moritas mentioned by Julius Caesar, in his Gallic Wars. Numerous Gallo-Roman artifacts have been found in the area, and many are in the town's Gâtinais Museum.

Later, the town was a stronghold of the Frankish king Clovis I.

Montargis was originally a seat of the house of Courtenay, who fortified a château on a hill overlooking the town. The town was ceded to the king of France in 1188. In the 14th and 15th centuries, it was a royal residence.

Hundred Years' War[link]

In 1427, during the Hundred Years' War, the Earl of Warwick besieged the town with artillery, beginning bombardment on July 15. During the siege, the residents of Montargis sabotaged the dikes of numerous ponds in the district, flooding and drowning many of the besieging Plantagenets. On September 5, a French force of 1600 men broke the siege, led by Jean de Dunois and La Hire, commanders who would go on to lead the army of Joan of Arc. This marked the first important victory by the army of King Charles VII in the war, gratefully remembered by Charles later.

After being wounded in an unsuccessful attempt to besiege Paris in September 1429, Joan of Arc passed through Montargis on her way to Gien.

After the war, Charles VII, rewarded the town for its valor in the war by granting it various privileges. In 1490, his later successor Charles VIII officially declared the town Montargis Le Franc ("Montargis the tax-free"). This title is abbreviated as "MLF" in the official coat of arms (seen in the seal shown here). This privilege was renewed by his successors, and Montargis remained free of taxes for three centuries, until it was revoked during the French Revolution.

Sixteenth century[link]

In 1528, King Francis I granted the town to his sister-in-law, Renée of France, Duchess of Ferrara and daughter of King Louis XII. After her husband Ercole II, the Duke of Ferrara died in 1559, Renée resided at Montargis. She sheltered there Protestant Huguenots fleeing from persecutions in Paris and elsewhere during the 16th century French Wars of Religion.

Dog of Montargis[link]

The best-known legend of Montargis is that of the "Dog of Montargis." In the story, Aubry de Montdidier, a courtier of King Charles V of France, was murdered around 1400 in a forest near Montargis by Richard Macaire, an envious knight. After his death, Mondidier's dog showed a remarkable hostility to Macaire. King Charles decreed a trial by combat in the town between the dog and Macaire, who was armed with only a cudgel. After the dog won the battle, Macaire confessed to the crime and was hanged.^[1] A dramatic statue of this fight is in front of the Girodet Museum in central Montargis.

Industry[link]

In the 1880s, a rubber factory was built in Châlette, a district of Montargis. It today employs 2000 workers to produce tires and parts for vehicles and appliances.

Culture[link]

Pralines, the crunchy confection made from almonds in cooked sugar, were first confected in Montargis in the time of Louis XIII. The original shop is still in business.

Notable people[link]

• Eleanor of Leicester lived in exile as a nun at the abbey in Montargis, and died there in 1275
• Denis Jamet died there in 1625
• Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de la Motte-Guyon was born here in 1648
• Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson was born here in 1767, the town's art museum is named after him
• Deng Xiaoping and Zhou Enlai lived in the town's Chinese community in the 1920s
• Patricia Petibon was born here in 1970

Twin towns[link]

Montargis is twinned with:

• Greven, Germany
• Crowborough, United Kingdom

References[link]

• INSEE commune file

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Montargis

• (French) Official website
• (French) Pictures of Montargis' forest of Paucourt
• (French) Decree of Charles VII granting privileges to Montargis

v t e Communes of the Loiret department Adon Aillant-sur-Milleron Amilly Andonville Ardon Artenay Aschères-le-Marché Ascoux Attray Audeville Augerville-la-Rivière Aulnay-la-Rivière Autruy-sur-Juine Autry-le-Châtel Auvilliers-en-Gâtinais Auxy Baccon Le Bardon Barville-en-Gâtinais Batilly-en-Gâtinais Batilly-en-Puisaye Baule Bazoches-les-Gallerandes Bazoches-sur-le-Betz Beauchamps-sur-Huillard Beaugency Beaulieu-sur-Loire Beaune-la-Rolande Bellegarde Le Bignon-Mirabeau Boësses Boigny-sur-Bionne Boiscommun Boismorand Boisseaux Bondaroy Bonnée Bonny-sur-Loire Bordeaux-en-Gâtinais Les Bordes Bou Bougy-lez-Neuville Bouilly-en-Gâtinais Boulay-les-Barres Bouzonville-aux-Bois Bouzy-la-Forêt Boynes Bray-en-Val Breteau Briare Briarres-sur-Essonne Bricy Bromeilles Bucy-le-Roi Bucy-Saint-Liphard La Bussière Cepoy Cercottes Cerdon Cernoy-en-Berry Césarville-Dossainville Chailly-en-Gâtinais Chaingy Châlette-sur-Loing Chambon-la-Forêt Champoulet Chanteau Chantecoq La Chapelle-Onzerain La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin La Chapelle-Saint-Sépulcre La Chapelle-sur-Aveyron Chapelon Le Charme Charmont-en-Beauce Charsonville Châteauneuf-sur-Loire Château-Renard Châtenoy Châtillon-Coligny Châtillon-le-Roi Châtillon-sur-Loire Chaussy Chécy Chevannes Chevillon-sur-Huillard Chevilly Chevry-sous-le-Bignon Chilleurs-aux-Bois Les Choux Chuelles Cléry-Saint-André Coinces Combleux Combreux Conflans-sur-Loing Corbeilles Corquilleroy Cortrat Coudray Coudroy Coullons Coulmiers Courcelles Courcy-aux-Loges La Cour-Marigny Courtemaux Courtempierre Courtenay Cravant Crottes-en-Pithiverais Dadonville Dammarie-en-Puisaye Dammarie-sur-Loing Dampierre-en-Burly Darvoy Desmonts Dimancheville Donnery Dordives Douchy Dry Échilleuses Égry Engenville Épieds-en-Beauce Erceville Ervauville Escrennes Escrignelles Estouy Faverelles Fay-aux-Loges Feins-en-Gâtinais Férolles Ferrières-en-Gâtinais La Ferté-Saint-Aubin Fleury-les-Aubrais Fontenay-sur-Loing Foucherolles Fréville-du-Gâtinais Gaubertin Gémigny Germigny-des-Prés Gidy Gien Girolles Givraines Gondreville Grangermont Greneville-en-Beauce Griselles Guigneville Guilly Gy-les-Nonains Huêtre Huisseau-sur-Mauves Ingrannes Ingré Intville-la-Guétard Isdes Jargeau Jouy-en-Pithiverais Jouy-le-Potier Juranville Laas Labrosse Ladon Lailly-en-Val Langesse Léouville Ligny-le-Ribault Lion-en-Beauce Lion-en-Sullias Lombreuil Lorcy Lorris Loury Louzouer Mainvilliers Malesherbes Manchecourt Marcilly-en-Villette Mardié Mareau-aux-Bois Mareau-aux-Prés Marigny-les-Usages Marsainvilliers Melleroy Ménestreau-en-Villette Mérinville Messas Meung-sur-Loire Mézières-en-Gâtinais Mézières-lez-Cléry Mignères Mignerette Montargis Montbarrois Montbouy Montcorbon Montcresson Montereau Montigny Montliard Mormant-sur-Vernisson Morville-en-Beauce Le Moulinet-sur-Solin Moulon Nancray-sur-Rimarde Nangeville Nargis Nesploy Neuville-aux-Bois La Neuville-sur-Essonne Neuvy-en-Sullias Nevoy Nibelle Nogent-sur-Vernisson Noyers Oison Olivet Ondreville-sur-Essonne Orléans Ormes Orveau-Bellesauve Orville Ousson-sur-Loire Oussoy-en-Gâtinais Outarville Ouvrouer-les-Champs Ouzouer-des-Champs Ouzouer-sous-Bellegarde Ouzouer-sur-Loire Ouzouer-sur-Trézée Pannecières Pannes Patay Paucourt Pers-en-Gâtinais Pierrefitte-ès-Bois Pithiviers Pithiviers-le-Vieil Poilly-lez-Gien Préfontaines Presnoy Pressigny-les-Pins Puiseaux Quiers-sur-Bézonde Ramoulu Rebréchien Rosoy-le-Vieil Rouvray-Sainte-Croix Rouvres-Saint-Jean Rozières-en-Beauce Ruan Saint-Aignan-des-Gués Saint-Aignan-le-Jaillard Saint-Ay Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire Saint-Cyr-en-Val Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel Saint-Denis-en-Val Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Saint-Firmin-des-Bois Saint-Firmin-sur-Loire Saint-Florent Saint-Germain-des-Prés Saint-Gondon Saint-Hilaire-les-Andrésis Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Mesmin Saint-Hilaire-sur-Puiseaux Saint-Jean-de-Braye Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle Saint-Jean-le-Blanc Saint-Loup-de-Gonois Saint-Loup-des-Vignes Saint-Lyé-la-Forêt Saint-Martin-d'Abbat Saint-Martin-sur-Ocre Saint-Maurice-sur-Aveyron Saint-Maurice-sur-Fessard Saint-Michel Saint-Péravy-la-Colombe Saint-Père-sur-Loire Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin Saint-Sigismond Sandillon Santeau Saran Sceaux-du-Gâtinais Seichebrières La Selle-en-Hermoy La Selle-sur-le-Bied Semoy Sennely Sermaises Sigloy Solterre Sougy Sully-la-Chapelle Sully-sur-Loire Sury-aux-Bois Tavers Thignonville Thimory Thorailles Thou Tigy Tivernon Tournoisis Traînou Treilles-en-Gâtinais Triguères Trinay Vannes-sur-Cosson Varennes-Changy Vennecy Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry Vienne-en-Val Viglain Villamblain Villemandeur Villemoutiers Villemurlin Villeneuve-sur-Conie Villereau Villevoques Villorceau Vimory Vitry-aux-Loges Vrigny Yèvre-la-Ville

Francisco Canaro
Francisco Canaro
Background information
Birth name	Francisco Canarozzo
Born	(1888-11-26)November 26, 1888 Uruguay
Died	December 14, 1964(1964-12-14) (aged 76) Argentina
Genres	tango
Occupations	Musician, orchestra leader
Instruments	Violin

Francisco Canaro (November 26, 1888 – December 14, 1964) was an Uruguayan-Argentine violinist and tango orchestra leader.

His parents, Italians emigrated to Uruguay, and later - when Francisco Canaro was less than 10 years old, they emigrated to Buenos Aires (Argentina) in the late nineteenth century. Canaro was born in San José de Mayo, Uruguay, in 1888. As a young man and found work in a factory, where an empty oil can would, in his skilled hands, become his first violin. Performing in seedy bars initially, he ultimately forged a career that spanned many decades, and his orchestra was one of the most recorded. His introduction to the tango came by orquesta típica leader Vicente Greco in 1908, and in 1912, he composed Pinta brava (Fierce Look). Canaro composed the music for the 1915 Argentine classic, Nobleza gaucha, and later was romantically attached to Argentine actress and tango vocalist Ada Falcón, but the relationship, which began in the early 1920s, grew apart a decade later.

Canaro and his orchestra, c.1930.

Canaro was active in the cause of intellectual property rights from 1918 onwards, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Argentine Society of Composers and Songwriters (SADAIC), in 1935, purchasing the downtown Buenos Aires lot where its headquarters were built. He performed in Paris with his orchestra in 1925, and a success among local audiences, he remained in Europe for a decade. Becoming a naturalized Argentine citizen in 1940, much of his recorded music is in the classic salon style of that decade, but he is also considered a member of the old guard, and some of his later recordings contributed to the transition to concert tango.

His orchestra became a fixture on Argentine radio during the 1940s and early '50s, though for many contemporary dancers and listeners, his early golden age recordings remained the best in their genre. Canaro authored his memoirs, Mis 50 años con el tango (My Fifty Years with the Tango) in 1956, but later developed Paget's disease, and was forced to retire. He died in Buenos Aires in 1964.

External links[link]

• Biography of Francisco Canaro. Todo Tango
• Discography of Francisco Canaro (english)
• Discografía de Francisco Canaro (spanish)
• Francisco Canaro - tracks, statistics tango.info
• Francisco Canaro at the Internet Movie Database

v t e Cinema of Argentina Actors Awards Composers Directors Editors Films A–Z Cinematographers Festivals Producers Screenwriters Mar del Plata Film Festival Films by year: 1897–1929 1930s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012