# Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron

> commune in Ardèche, France

**Wikidata**: [Q376534](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q376534)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/saint-laurent-sous-coiron

## Summary

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is a commune located in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southern France. Situated at coordinates 44.6369°N latitude and 4.4819°E longitude, this small municipality falls within the arrondissement of Privas and was historically part of the canton of Villeneuve-de-Berg until March 2015. The commune operates as a subdivision of France, a country founded as West Francia through the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and later established as the First French Empire in 1804.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is located in Ardèche, a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 44.636944444444°N, Longitude 4.4819444444444°E
- **Administrative status**: Commune in the arrondissement of Privas
- **Historical canton**: Villeneuve-de-Berg (until March 2015)
- **Country**: France
- **Population figures**: 104, 102, 100, 106, 112, 92, 120, 115, 132, 134, 106, 100, 111, 116, 118, 120, 122 (recorded over multiple years)
- **Wikipedia title**: Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron
- **Wikidata description**: commune in Ardèche, France
- **Sitelink count**: 41
- **Commune of France**: France territorial subdivision for municipalities (established +1789)
- **Department inception**: Ardèche established March 4, 1790
- **Arrondissement**: Largentière and Privas
- **Region**: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

## FAQs

**What region and department is Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron located in?**

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is situated in the Ardèche department, which is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southern France. The commune falls within the arrondissement of Privas.

**What administrative changes affected Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron?**

Historically, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron was part of the canton of Villeneuve-de-Berg until March 2015, when French administrative reorganization affected cantonal structures.

**What type of territorial subdivision is Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron?**

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is a commune, which is the smallest territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. The commune system was established in France in 1789.

**What are the geographical coordinates of Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron?**

The commune is located at latitude 44.636944444444°N and longitude 4.4819444444444°E, placing it in the southeastern portion of France.

**What country controls Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron?**

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is part of France, a semi-presidential republic and founding member of the European Union. France was originally established as West Francia through the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and became the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon Bonaparte.

## Why It Matters

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron represents the granular administrative structure that forms the foundation of French territorial organization. As one of France's approximately 35,000 communes, it embodies the decentralized administrative system that characterizes the French Republic. While small in population, such communes are essential to understanding France's political geography and local governance structure.

The commune's location in Ardèche places it within a department that was created on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution—a period that fundamentally transformed France's administrative divisions from the ancient regime's provinces to modern departments. This historical context gives Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron a connection to one of the foundational moments in French administrative history.

For researchers and those studying French geography, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron serves as an example of how communes function within the broader French administrative hierarchy, sitting below arrondissements and departments while representing the most local level of government where daily municipal services are delivered to residents.

## Notable For

- **Administrative history**: Part of the historic canton of Villeneuve-de-Berg until the 2015 French cantonal reorganization
- **Geographic positioning**: Located at precise coordinates 44.6369°N 4.4819°E in the Ardèche department
- **Regional identity**: Situated in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, one of France's 18 administrative regions
- **Communal status**: Represents the fundamental unit of French municipal organization established in 1789

## Body

### Geography and Location

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is positioned in the southeastern region of France, specifically within the Ardèche department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The commune's geographical coordinates place it at 44.636944444444°N latitude and 4.4819444444444°E longitude. This location situates the commune in a predominantly rural area of the French interior, characterized by the mountainous and hilly terrain typical of the Ardèche region.

The commune falls within the arrondissement of Privas, which serves as an administrative division between the department level and the commune. Additionally, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron was historically associated with the canton of Villeneuve-de-Berg until the French cantonal boundaries were reorganized in March 2015.

### Administrative Structure

As a French commune, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron operates as the lowest level of territorial administration in France. The commune system was established in 1789 during the French Revolution, replacing the previous feudal administrative divisions. France is divided into approximately 35,000 communes, each serving as a municipal corporation with its own local government.

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron is part of the Ardèche department, which was created on March 4, 1790. Ardèche is one of the original French departments formed during the Revolution and is now part of the larger Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, which was established through regional administrative reorganization in 2016.

### Population and Demographics

The commune has recorded population figures of 104, 102, 100, 106, 112, 92, 120, 115, 132, 134, 106, 100, 111, 116, 118, 120, and 122 across various census periods. These figures indicate a relatively small population typical of rural French communes, with fluctuations reflecting broader demographic trends in rural France, including urbanization pressures that have seen populations decline in many smaller municipalities while growing in larger urban centers.

### Historical Context

The commune's existence as an administrative unit dates to the revolutionary period of 1789, when the old provincial divisions of France were replaced by a rational system of departments, arrondissements, cantons, and communes. This transformation represented a fundamental break with the feudal past and established the framework for modern French local government that persists today.

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron's association with the canton of Villeneuve-de-Berg reflects the historical administrative organization that existed until 2015, when changes to cantonal boundaries were implemented in France. These reorganizations aimed to optimize administrative efficiency and reflect demographic shifts across French territories.

### Regional Context

The commune is situated in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France's largest region in terms of area, created through the 2016 territorial reform that merged the former Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes regions. This region encompasses diverse landscapes from the volcanic Massif Central to the Alpine foothills, with Ardèche representing the southern portion of this varied territory.

Ardèche itself is known for its natural beauty, including gorges, caves, and the Ardèche River, making it a destination for outdoor tourism. The department's capital is Privas, and the commune falls within this administrative framework.

### Relationship to French National Structure

Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron exists within France's hierarchical administrative system: the commune sits at the base, grouped into cantons, which are grouped into arrondissements, which are grouped into departments, which are grouped into regions, all under the unitary French state. This structure reflects France's characteristic combination of centralization and decentralization, where local governments operate within a framework set by national legislation while having significant autonomy in local matters.

France itself traces its origins as a unified state to the Treaty of Verdun in 843, which established West Francia, and the country underwent significant transformation with the establishment of the First French Empire in 1804. Today, France operates as a semi-presidential republic with a constitution established in 1958, founding the Fifth Republic.

## References

1. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
2. INSEE code
3. répertoire géographique des communes
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. Annuaire de service-public.fr
6. Populations légales 2016
7. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
8. Populations légales 2017
9. Populations légales 2018
10. [Populations légales communales depuis 1968. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2522602)
11. Populations légales 2019
12. Populations légales 2020
13. Populations légales 2021
14. Populations de référence 2022
15. Populations de référence 2023
16. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
17. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
18. GeoNames
19. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
20. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
21. [Code officiel géographique. 2020](https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/8442dfae-a878-49c6-be4c-20689b1c337c)
22. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)