La Flèche (Municipality, Sarthe, France)

Last modified: 2004-07-31 by ivan sache
Keywords: sarthe | fleche (la) | arrow (white) | towers: 2 (white) | fleur-de-lys: 3 (yellow) |
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by Olivier Touzeau

• Presentation of La Flèche
• Description of the flag of La Flèche
• Coat of arms of La Flèche

See also:

• France
• Sarthe (Department, France)

Presentation of La Flèche

La Flèche (16,900 inhabitants) is a sous-préfecture of the department of Sarthe, located on the river Loir (not to be confused with Loire), c. 45 kms of Angers and Le Mans.

The name of the city (lit., the arrow) was most probably derived from Latin fixa, peg, as a reference to an early settlement built on piles on the Loir. Another explanation for the name of the city is related to the spire (flèche) of the St. Thomas' church, which was the early center of the city.

Little is known on the early history of La Flèche, except the presence of a Roman villa (estate) in the neighborhood.
The first lord of La Flèche was Jean de Beaugency, who built in the XIIth century a fortified castle surrounded with moats. Until the XVIIth century, La Flèche remained a village of lesser importance.
Hélie de la Flèche, count of Maine, married his daughter Gremburge to count Foulques of Anjou. Their son was Geoffroy Plantangenet, father of Henri II Plantagenet, the founder of the