Sancerre

Sancerre, a town of central France, capital of an arrondissement in the department of Cher, 34 m. N.E. of Bourges by rail. Pop. (1906) 2232. Sancerre, which gives its name to the small district of Sancerrois, is situated on an isolated vine-clad hill (1000 ft.) about i m. from the left bank of the Loire. It has a modern château, in the grounds of which there is a cylindrical keep of the 15th century, the only relic of an ancient stronghold. From 1037 to 1152 the title of count of Sancerre was held by the counts of Champagne; from the latter year till 1640 it had its own counts, who were descended from Theobald IV. of Champagne, but in 1226 came under the suzerainty of the crown. In 1640 it became the property of Henri de Conde, whose descendants possessed it till the Revolution. During the religious wars it was a stronghold of Protestantism, and in 1573 was besieged by the Catholics, who did not succeed in capturing it till after nearly eight months of siege. The town has a subprefecture, a tribunal of first instance and a communal college. Good wine is grown in the vicinity.