SARTRE, a department of France, formed in 1790 out of the eastern part of Maine, and portions of Anjou and of Perche. Pop. (1931) 384,619. Area 2,410 sq.m. It is bounded north by the department of Orne, north-east by Eure-et-Loir, east by Loir-et-Cher, south by Indre-et-Loire and Maine-et-Loire and west by Mayenne. The department includes the greater part of the basin of the Sarthe, which drains the large bay in the southern flank of the hills of Normandy, and the city of Le Mans is at the focus of this bay, where the Sarthe from the north-west joins the Huisne from the north-east. It is floored largely by Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks succeeding one another eastward, with the Armorican Palaeozoics on its western border. South-east of the Huisne the Eocene deposits stand out, forming a relatively poor territory. The Loir flows through the southern edge of the de partment to join the Sarthe in Maine-et-Loire; along its chalky banks caves have been hollowed out which, like those along the Cher and the Loire, serve as dwelling-houses and stores. The mean annual temperature is 51° to 52° F. The rainfall is between 25 and 26 in.
The department is mainly agricultural. There are three dis tinct districts :—the corn lands to the north of the Sarthe and the Huisne; the region of barren land and moor, partly planted with pine, between those two streams and the Loir; and the wine growing country to the south of the Loir. Sarthe produces much barley and hemp. The raising of cattle and of horses, notably those of the Perche breed, prospers, and fowls and geese are fattened in large numbers for the Paris market. Apples are
largely grown for cider. The chief forests are those of Berce in the south and Perseigne in the north; the fields in the depart ment are divided by hedges planted with trees. Coal, marble and freestone are among the mineral products. The staple industry is the weaving of hemp and flax, and cotton and wool-weaving are also carried on. Paper is made in several localities. Iron foundries, copper and bell foundries, factories for provision preserving, marble-works at Sable, potteries, tile-works, glass works and stained-glass manufactories, currieries, machine fac tories, wire-gauze factories, flour-mills are also important. The department is served by the Ouest-Etat, the Orleans and the State railways, and the Sarthe and Loir provide about Ioo m. of waterway, though the latter river carries little traffic.
The department forms the diocese of Le Mans and part of the ecclesiastical province of Tours, has its court of appeal at Angers, and its academie (educational division) at Caen, and forms part of the territory of the IV. army corps, with its headquarters at Le Mans. The arrondissements are named from Le Mans, the chief town, La Fleche and Mamers. There are 33 cantons and 386 communes. The chief towns are Le Mans, La Fleche, La Ferte Bernard, Solesmes (q.q.v.), and Sable.