commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in the
Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire () is a department in west-central France named after the Indre River and Loire River. In 2019, it had a population of 610,079.department, central
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
. It overlooks the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers from a steep hill on the left bank of the Loire, and marks the boundary between the modern departments of Indre-et-Loire to the east, and Maine-et-Loire to the west.
Name
The name ''Candes'' is thought to derive from a Gallic word for ''confluence'', and is found in several other similarly sited towns in the region; the termination ''Saint-Martin'' was formally added in 1949, although it had been in common usage for many years.
Evidence of Gallo-Roman occupation was found in 19th century excavations, particularly in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace which crowns the hill.
The village takes its name - and its main claim to fame- from the magnificent church which has succeeded the 4th century monastery where St Martin, Bishop of Tours and 'Apostle to the Gauls', died in 397.