Couture-sur-Loir (French pronunciation: [kutyʁ syʁ lwaʁ], literally Couture on Loir) is a former commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Vallée-de-Ronsard.

It is situated in the northwest of the Loir-et-Cher department, 33 km (21 mi) to the west of Vendôme. It lies mainly on the left bank of the river Loir.

Couture is in the canton of Montoire-sur-le-Loir, which corresponds to the historic Bas-Vendômois district.

Adjacent to the village centre (with a crossroad street pattern) or bourg are two parallel settlements, Le Poirier and more distinctly Le Pin.

The main industry (apart from farming and tourism) is gravel extraction; excavated areas have been adapted for water sports. A number of inhabitants are employed by the paper manufacturers at Bessé-sur-Braye (Sarthe).

It is first referred to as Villas culturas in a charter of the 9th-century bishop of Le Mans, Saint Aldric (earlier references are doubtless fictitious).

A partial source for the history of Couture in the later 17th century are the memoirs of Louis XIV's valet, Marie Dubois, who came from the village.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 825 —     1806 950 +15.2% 1821 878 −7.6% 1831 930 +5.9% 1841 909 −2.3% 1851 930 +2.3% 1861 906 −2.6% 1872 854 −5.7% 1881 836 −2.1% 1891 843 +0.8% 1901 782 −7.2% 1911 749 −4.2%

Year Pop. ±% 1921 681 −9.1% 1931 640 −6.0% 1946 720 +12.5% 1954 635 −11.8% 1962 618 −2.7% 1968 606 −1.9% 1975 535 −11.7% 1982 467 −12.7% 1990 450 −3.6% 1999 433 −3.8% 2008 425 −1.8% 2013 411 −3.3%

The housing reflects periods of prosperity and villégiature-type occupation in recent centuries.

Renowned for the Renaissance chateau of La Possonnière, birthplace of the poet Pierre de Ronsard, the village also possesses an Angevin-style church dedicated to Saints Gervase and Protase. The church contains the tombstone of Ronsard's parents and is known for its spire.

Notable 20th-century inhabitants have included the Hallopeau and Sainte-Claire Deville families (noted scientists), the academic inspector Jean Pasquier and the Catholic historian François Lebrun. It is also the town where Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585) was born.

• Braye (river)
• Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department