Gennes is a former

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 Maine-et-Loire department in western

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 ...

. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Gennes-Val-de-Loire.

History

Gennes was the scene of a World War II battle in June 1940, during the Battle of Saumur during the last stages of the Battle of France. The French casualties, seventeen Cadets of the ''Cadre noir'' Saumur Cavalry school,''Musée de la Cavalerie française'' in Saumur (French site): http://87.237.184.32/page/affichelieu.php?idLieu=6191&idLang=fr killed between 17 and 20 June 1940, are buried in the enclosure of the 11th century Saint-Eusèbe church built over an ancient Gallo-Roman sanctuary, on a hilltop overlooking the scene of their sacrifice. Dolmen de la Madeleine - Gennes - 20061125

Dolmen de la Madeleine - Gennes - 20061125

The castle of

Milly-le-Meugon Milly-le-Meugon is a village now attached to the city of Gennes, Maine-et-Loire department, France. It is also the site of a castle, which also belonged to the Maillé-Brézé family, a notable family of the French nobility with close ties to ...

, in its vicinity, was the property of the Maillé-Brézé family, closely related to the French royal family through the First Prince of the Blood, Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé.

History

See also