Annonay (; oc, Anonai) is a

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 ...

and largest city in the north of the

Ardèche Ardèche (; oc, Ardecha; frp, Ardecha) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.department in the

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

of southeastern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is the most populous commune in the Ardèche department although it is not the capital which is the smaller town of Privas. Other communes in the Ardéche department are

Aubenas Aubenas (; oc, Aubenàs) is a commune in the southern part of the Ardèche department in Southern France. It is the seat of several government offices. The mountainous and rugged countryside is popular for vacation homes. The river Ardèche fl ...

Guilherand-Granges Guilherand-Granges () is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. It is a suburb of Valence, Drôme. It is one of the most populous commune in the Ardéche department, after Annonay and Aubenas, and before Tournon-sur-Rhône. ...

, and

Tournon-sur-Rhône Tournon-sur-Rhône (; oc, Tornon) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. It is one of the most populous commune in the Ardèche department, after Annonay, Aubenas, and Guilherand-Granges. Geography It is located on the ...

Geography

The commune consists of the city of Annonay and the hamlets of Vissenty, Chatinais, and Boucieu. With residential development, these four entities have merged into one today. Further away is the hamlet of Toissieu. Annonay was built over several small hills at the confluence of the rivers Cance (Canse) and Deûme (Deôme). Annonay is a crossroads of trade routes: from the Rhône Valley to the region of

Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Saint-Étienne is the t ...

(east-west) and from Lyon to south of the

Massif Central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...

(north-south). It is located south of

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...

, south-west of

Saint-Rambert-d'Albon Saint-Rambert-d'Albon (, literally ''Saint-Rambert of Albon''; frp, Sent-Rambèrt) is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France. Population Notable residents * Wilfride Piollet, ballerina International relations Saint-Rambe ...

, and north-west of Saint-Vallier at the foot of the mountains of

Vivarais Vivarais (; oc, Vivarés; la, Vivariensis provincia{{cite web , url=http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ets/Graesse/orblatv.html , title = ORBIS LATINUS - Letter V) is a traditional region in the south-east of France, covering the ''département'' of ...

just west of the river

Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...

. Access to the commune is by the D121 from Davezieux in the north-east passing through the commune and the city and continuing to

Villevocance Villevocance (; oc, Vilavaucança) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardèche department The following is a list of the 335 communes of the Ardèche department of France. ...

in the south-west. There is also the D578 from the city to

Quintenas Quintenas (; oc, Quintenàs) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardèche department The following is a list of the 335 communes of the Ardèche department of France. The ...

in the south and the D206 to Saint-Marcel-les-Annonay in the north. There are also the D371 and the D370 in the east of the commune.Google Maps
/ref> The geology consists mainly of grey or light orange

leucogranite Leucogranite is a light-colored, granitic, igneous rock containing almost no dark minerals. Alaskite is a synonym.orthogneiss Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...

rich in

biotite Biotite is a common group of phyllosilicate minerals within the mica group, with the approximate chemical formula . It is primarily a solid-solution series between the iron-endmember annite, and the magnesium-endmember phlogopite; more alumino ...

sillimanite Sillimanite is an aluminosilicate mineral with the chemical formula Al2SiO5. Sillimanite is named after the American chemist Benjamin Silliman (1779–1864). It was first described in 1824 for an occurrence in Chester, Connecticut. Occurrence ...

and

cordierite Cordierite (mineralogy) or iolite (gemology) is a magnesium iron aluminium cyclosilicate. Iron is almost always present and a solid solution exists between Mg-rich cordierite and Fe-rich sekaninaite with a series formula: to . A high-temperat ...

with alternating bands of felsic and

mafic A mafic mineral or rock is a silicate mineral or igneous rock rich in magnesium and iron. Most mafic minerals are dark in color, and common rock-forming mafic minerals include olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite. Common mafic rocks include ...

material. The escarpment of Annonay is surrounded by plateaux and gentle hills used for cultivating cherries,

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the p ...

s, and other crops. A reservoir created by damming the Ternay River north-west of the town provides water for industrial and domestic use. The highest point of the town at is located near a place called "Sagne Ronde"; the lowest point at is the bed of the Cance near the ruins of the "Mill Baru". The Montmiandon overlooking the city, rises to above sea level.

Name

The origin of the name of the town has numerous hypotheses. One of these suggests that ''Annonay'' comes from ' meaning the domain of an "Annonius", a rich

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

who lived there.Municipal Bulletin municipal of the city of Annonay: a little history. 1982 Another explanation is that ''Annonay'' came from the presence of a food store of the '. In any case, the site of the city has been occupied since antiquity.

Roman coins Roman currency for most of Roman history consisted of gold, silver, bronze, orichalcum and copper coinage. From its introduction to the Republic, during the third century BC, well into Imperial times, Roman currency saw many changes in form, denom ...

and medals were found during the digging of the Rue Malleval in 1851.

History

Middle Ages

Annonay, clocher de la chapelle de Trachin

The first written mention of Annonay dates from 403. A chronicle of archives in

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.cartulary A cartulary or chartulary (; Latin: ''cartularium'' or ''chartularium''), also called ''pancarta'' or ''codex diplomaticus'', is a medieval manuscript volume or roll (''rotulus'') containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the fo ...

of the Church of Vienne and quoted Annonay as the seat of a rural

archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogous ...

. In the 13th and early 14th centuries the small town of Annonay was an important step on the road of pilgrimage to the Virgin of

Puy-en-Velay Le Puy-en-Velay (, literally ''Le Puy in Velay''; oc, Lo Puèi de Velai ) is the prefecture of the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-central France. Located near the river Loire, the city is famous for its ...

. In witness to this hostelries for pilgrims, five

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

including the Saint-Clair Convent, one

Cordelier The Society of the Friends of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (french: Société des Amis des droits de l'homme et du citoyen), mainly known as Cordeliers Club (french: Club des Cordeliers), was a populist political club during the French ...

, and two priories one of which was the Chapel of Trachin. The family ''de Roussillon'' dominated the region. One of its members, Guillaume de Roussillon, participated in the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...

. From 1288 a charter was signed between the city and the Lord of Annonay. This granted some autonomy to the city: in particular the right to levy taxes. In 1342 or 1347 Annonay suffered the

Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

which raged in Europe. A large part of the population was decimated. From 1365 two consuls were responsible for the city. During the 15th century, Annonay affirmed itself as a commercial crossroads: exporting its wine, trading between the valley of the

, the

Dauphiné The Dauphiné (, ) is a former province in Southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of Isère, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes. The Dauphiné was originally the Dauphiné of Viennois. In the 12th centu ...

and the mountain by mule, the tannery developed using the waters of the Deume. The city, built on a rocky outcrop located between two rivers, was defended by the castle of Roussillon in the south and two

fortified houses A fortified house or fortified mansion is a type of building which developed in Europe during the Middle Ages, generally with significant fortifications added. United States In the United States, historically a fortified house was often calle ...

: in the north Maleton and in the west Du Peloux. A line of ramparts ringed all. The suburbs grew towards the Champ de Mars along the banks of the Cance and Deume. The relative prosperity however attracted

thieves Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...

highwaymen A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to fo ...

, and

mercenaries A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...

. During the

Hundred Years War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...

the city strengthened its fortifications with watchtowers, such as the so-called Martyrs Tower. The walls were pierced by gates to control the entrance and exit to the city. There are written references to the Deume, Cance, and Champ entrances, to mention only the most important. In 1487 the city had fourteen churches or chapels for about two thousand inhabitants. At the center of town was the parish Church of Notre Dame to which was attached a college of canons of the order of Saint-Ruf. Until the

Wars of Religion A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...

clerics represented up to half of the population.

Modern times (16th and 17th centuries)

In 1524 Annonay was attached to the domain of the King of France in the wake of the revolt by the Constable of Bourbon: his property, which included Annonay, was confiscated. The country was then dominated by the ''Lévis-Ventadour'', the ''Rohan-Soubises'' etc.

Wars of Religion

During this period Annonay had 3,500 inhabitants. The districts of Cance and Deume were neglected by the wealthy in favor of the Place Vielle (Old Square – now the Place de la Liberté or Liberty Square), Place Grenette, Rue des Forges (formerly Main Street and today Rue Franki Kramer). Annonay adopted

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

before

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

. From 1528 a

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

friar, ''Etienne Machopolis'' – who had heard

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

preach in

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...

, spread the new ideas. In 1539 two merchants from Annonay were burned alive for spreading the ideas of Luther. It was the excesses of the clergy that pushed people into the arms of the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

. Moreover, in the region Protestants such as the Benay family had developed the culture of silkworms and protected the Italian artisans who came to develop the silk mills. Annonay, when in the hands of Protestants, was taken for the first time in 1562 by the Catholic troops of Christophe of

Saint-Chamond St Chamond may refer to: * Saint Chamond otherwise Annemund, bishop of Lyon * Saint-Chamond, Loire, a French town named after him * Saint-Chamond (manufacturer), informal name for the ''Compagnie des forges et aciéries de la marine et d'Homécour ...

, Lord of Thorrenc and

Andance Andance (; oc, Andança) is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southern France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Andançois'' or ''Andançoises'' Geography Andance is located 5 km so ...

. The city was retaken at the end of 1562 by the Protestants led by Jean de Saint-Romain, his own brother. Saint-Romain and his troops destroyed the Catholic places of worship in Annonay except for the Trachin Chapel which became a Protestant temple. On 10 January 1563 three thousand Catholics commanded by Saint-Chamond dislodged them from Annonay. The city was sacked in five days. The Edict of Amboise (March 1563) restored peace by giving Protestants freedom of worship in

bailiwick A bailiwick () is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and once also applied to territories in which a privately appointed bailiff exercised the sheriff's functions under a royal or imperial writ. The bailiwick is probably modelled on th ...

s such as Annonay. To this misfortune was added another: plague broke out in 1564. In 1568 the Protestants of Saint-Romain seized Annonay and slaughtered the college of Notre Dame. A few months later, in September, Catholics, under the command of Saint-Chamond, retook the city again. The troops of Saint-Romain reverted to the masters of Annonay on 17 July 1574. The houses of Cance and Bourgville districts were razed and the ramparts ruined, college and various Annonay chapels were completely destroyed except the Trachin Chapel. From 1574 the Protestant Lord Jean de Fay of Virieu was sent by Henry III to negotiate peace between Catholics and Protestants. A compromise was found in the castle of La Condamine: the Protestant lord was responsible for controlling the locations in the region which were disarmed. An edict of pacification was granted in 1577. The city then had a long period of peace but in the short term trade and industry were destroyed. The city, in ruins, had only 300

fires Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are pr ...

or about 1500 inhabitants. Religious orders were expelled. In 1583, 1584, and 1585, poor harvests caused inflation, food shortages, and famine. Plague wreaked havoc in Upper Vivarais. With the signing of the

Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was signed in April 1598 by King Henry IV and granted the Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was in essence completely Catholic. In the edict, Henry aimed pr ...

the city regained prosperity. At the end of the 16th century thirty tanneries were located on the banks of the Deume and Cance, attracted by the quality of their waters and the prosperous farms nearby. The tanneries grew. There were 11 Tanners and 4 Dressers in 1590; there were 20 and 37 respectively in 1704.

17th–18th centuries

Catholicism became the new majority in the capital of Upper Vivarais due to the massive influx of foreign population. Reconstruction of the Church of Notre Dame was undertaken with a constrained budget. Meanwhile, the Trachin Chapel, the only intact religious building, became the parish church. A Protestant church was built in the district of the Place Saint-Ursula. In September 1601 Annonay received a visit by the future Saint

Francis de Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...

and a little later from the future Saint

John Francis Regis Jean-François Régis, commonly known as Saint John Francis Regis and Saint Regis, (31 January 1597 – 31 December 1640), was a French priest of the Society of Jesus, recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1737. A tireless p ...

. The reconstruction of the city was characterized by the arrival of new religious communities and the creation of educational institutions such as the Convent of Santa Maria. A new hospital, joining the medieval structures of Notre-Dame La Belle and Notre-Dame de l'Aumône was created on 16 March 1686 at the Champ-de-Mars. In 1685 the

revocation of the Edict of Nantes The Edict of Fontainebleau (22 October 1685) was an edict issued by French King Louis XIV and is also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes (1598) had granted Huguenots the right to practice their religion without s ...

affected Annonay. Protestants who were at that time 50% of the population had to choose between exile, abjuration, or to continue practicing their religion in secret. The Protestants were mostly artisans, manufacturers, wine-growers, and traders. A century later a census showed that there were only 7% Protestants mostly from the upper classes. The paper industry was started in Annonay in the 17th century with the ''

Montgolfier The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (; 26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (; 6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the commune A ...

s'',

papermakers Papermaking is the manufacture of paper and cardboard, which are used widely for printing, writing, and packaging, among many other purposes. Today almost all paper is made using industrial machinery, while handmade paper survives as a speciali ...

originating from

Auvergne Auvergne (; ; oc, label=Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Auverg ...

, installed at Vidalon-lès-Annonay (today a hamlet in the commune of

Davézieux Davézieux (; oc, Davesiu) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and ter ...

). The ''Johannot'', another Auvergne family, had been settled in Faya since 1634. Attracted to the water quality, the driving force of the rivers, and the abundance of raw materials (rags), they imported technological innovations from

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

: e.g. the Dutch pile. In the maze of streets and small squares of Annonay, there was progress with the commissioning in 1726 of four public fountains fed by captive water sources. In 1780 industrial production was booming: 25,000 cow hides and 500,000 sheep skins were processed by the tanneries. Paper mills produced 300 tons of paper. This success did not go smoothly: the employment in great numbers of the best workers by Montgolfier caused a scarcity of labor and demands for wage increases. There was a strike for two months in the Vidalon Workshop in late 1781 after a long period of tension between the employer and his employees, the first lost the best of his workforce through his intransigent attitude at a time when fights between ''gavots'' and journeymen were common. In 1781, the term Bailiage was changed to ''Sénéchaussée''. On 14 December 1782, thanks to Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier, the first balloon rose above Vidalon-lès-Annonay. It consisted of a large

paper bag A paper bag is a bag made of paper, usually kraft paper. Paper bags can be made either with virgin or recycled fibres to meet customers’ demands. Paper bags are commonly used as shopping carrier bags and for packaging of some consumer go ...

lined with cloth placed over a fire of wet straw and wool. It remained however a private experience: the first public official flight in a hot air balloon took place on 4 June 1783 at Annonay, or precisely from the Place des Cordeliers – in front of a chosen public: the Members of State particularly of Vivarais. Several other inventions are credited to

Joseph Montgolfier The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (; 26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (; 6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the commune A ...

: the

hydraulic ram A hydraulic ram, or hydram, is a cyclic water pump powered by hydropower. It takes in water at one "hydraulic head" (pressure) and flow rate, and outputs water at a higher hydraulic head and lower flow rate. The device uses the water hammer ef ...

, the method of manufacture of

Wove paper Wove paper is a type of paper first created centuries ago in the Orient, and subsequently introduced to England, Europe and the American colonies in the mid-eighteenth century. Hand-made wove paper was first produced by using a wooden mould that ...

and filter paper, called joseph paper. Annonay developed through trade. It benefited from an improved road network (even if it was as a result of the revolt of

camisards Camisards were Huguenots (French Protestants) of the rugged and isolated Cévennes region and the neighbouring Vaunage in southern France. In the early 1700s, they raised a resistance against the persecutions which followed Louis XIV's Revocation ...

).Municipal Archives of Annonay In 1787 Annonay had 130 merchants for about 7,000 inhabitants. Among them: 11 drapers, 11 clothiers, 26 grocers, 3 goldsmiths, 26 shoe merchants, and 28 tailors. At the same time, the Catholic parish of the city was headed by a priest-archpriest, and vicars. The college of canons was composed of the prior and twelve canons. The monastery of the

Poor Clares The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare ( la, Ordo sanctae Clarae) – originally referred to as the Order of Poor Ladies, and later the Clarisses, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Order, and the Second Order of Saint Francis ...

had twelve nuns and two lay sisters, the Convent of Santa Maria had thirty nuns and four lay sisters. Adding to this religious presence was the pastor of the Protestant community.

French Revolution

The

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

started down this organization. The region was characterized by a wave of dechristianization which caused a certain spirit of resistance among the Catholic and Protestant populations.

The Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...

made victims such as Pierre-François Dulau-Dallemand, the pastor of Saint-Julien-Vocance; Bartholomew Montblanc, Vicar at

Givors Givors (; frp, Givôrs) is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France. Location It lies at the confluence of the Rhone and the Gier about south of Lyon and on the main road between that city and Sai ...

hidden around Annonay, and the priests of Rouville, Bac-et-Guards, and former Jesuits. To them must be added the three Sisters of Saint-Joseph from the community of Vernosc-lès-Annonay. The representatives of Annonay, while being very favorable to the new order, adopted a moderate attitude. This moderation was well illustrated by the personality of the lawyer Boissy d'Anglas, closely linked to the

Girondins The Girondins ( , ), or Girondists, were members of a loosely knit political faction during the French Revolution. From 1791 to 1793, the Girondins were active in the Legislative Assembly and the National Convention. Together with the Montagnard ...

. André Joseph Abrial, a native of Annonay, became Minister of Justice and was an author of the

Civil Code A civil code is a codification of private law relating to property, family, and obligations. A jurisdiction that has a civil code generally also has a code of civil procedure. In some jurisdictions with a civil code, a number of the core ar ...

(''Code Napoleon'').

19th century

During the first half of the 19th century, the need for an industrial workforce for paper-making and leather at Annonay attracted population from the surrounding countryside. The number of inhabitants doubled from 5,550 in 1801 to 11,398 in 1846 (it would reach 18,445 inhabitants in 1866). The physiognomy of the city changed with the rapid development or opening of new shopping streets (Rues Sadi Carnot,

, Boissy d'Anglas, Tournon, Melchior de Vogue). A new city hall was built in a developing area. In 1822, the

Congregation of St. Basil , image = Basilian_Fathers.png , image_size = 150px , abbreviation = CSB , nickname = Basilians , formation = , founding_location = Annonay, France , founders = , type ...

, a Catholic order of priests was founded in the town. On 26 February 1848, the city workers violently showed their support for the revolutionary Parisians (during February 1848), including the stoning of houses belonging to notable people. The army maintained order. With demographic pressure, the size of the existing infrastructure including the sole Catholic church did not allow proper welcoming of new residents to the faith. Two new churches were built: Saint-Francis and Saint-Joseph. Around the city, about a kilometer or two new town houses were built in the image of the ''Domain of Marc Seguin'' or Déomas Castle constituting a "sunbelt". The tannery rode the industrial prosperity of Annonay. High-end gloves were made in

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

but the best skins came from Annonay. In 1870 the Annonay tannery processed 8 million skins and employed 50% of the workers in the city. Three thousand of them were working at the time in this industry. Improving the road network and creating the first lines of railway put an end to Annonay's role as a commercial center for the mountainous hinterland. The latter was now in direct contact with

. The east-west trade that were advantageous to Annonay were replaced by north-south trade particularly following the valley of the

. From now on Annonay, although the hometown of

Marc Seguin Marc Seguin (20 April 1786 – 24 February 1875) was a French engineer, inventor of the wire-cable suspension bridge and the multi-tubular steam-engine boiler. Early life Seguin was born in Annonay, Ardèche to Marc François Seguin, the fou ...

, would be connected to the railway network by a branch line. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 blocked exports: the stocks of the Annonay works were blocked for a time in Paris. This crisis began the decline of the tanneries in Annonay compounded by weak industrial investment. More than 2,000 employees were laid off to go and find work in other areas. Barthélémy Baru Canson married the daughter of Étienne de Montgolfier. New processes of papermaking were established and production became specialized. The paper mill employed 1,500 people around 1875. Such activity requires a lot of water which was supplied by the Ternay reservoir from 1867. Its water was also distributed to residents through standpipes positioned in each district. While modern community life was started with the creation of the first sports clubs such as ''Annonéenne'', a company gym which still exists; the nascent local press reported on events such as celebrations marking the centenary of the first flight of a balloon. Annonay improved its main entrance by creating a new road connecting the PLM station to the center of town: the Boulevard of the Republic (1883–1888).

The 20th century

In the early 20th century, the city still retained its appearance after the

Wars of religion A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...

except for the Station district. Construction works were mainly concentrated in the industrial valleys of Cance and Deume. The historic center saw the building of Annonay's first department store "Les Galeries Modernes" (currently Public Service offices) and reconstruction on another site of the historic church of Notre-Dame. At this time the ''magic of electricity'' came (1910). The telephone was known and used. The national news with the laws on religious congregations and the separation of church and state was a passion in Annonay and in its surroundings. There were expulsions of monks and nuns with the ''Querelle des inventaires'' particularly active during violent protests motivated by the fear of a return to the excesses of 1793–1794. The

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

with its refugees, its wounded, its mutilated, and its dead (552 from Annonay) put an end to the protests. The period between the two wars was marked by the presidential visit of

Alexandre Millerand Alexandre Millerand (; – ) was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 20 January to 23 September 1920 and President of France from 23 September 1920 to 11 June 1924. His participation in Waldeck-Rousseau's cabinet at the sta ...

in 1923 on the occasion of the inauguration of the monument in honor of

and by the 150th anniversary of the first flight of the balloon (1933). The appearance of the city remained the same: dirty, dark streets, few new buildings like the "Vanaude" house. The "sunbelt" of castles contrast with the city center of slums and polluting industries. On the economic front mechanical industries grew: machines for the tannery of the Mercier brothers and especially for the manufacturing of

buses A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

. The old craft business of Jean-Joseph Besset became

Renault Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...

then

Irisbus IVECO Bus (formerly Irisbus) is a bus manufacturer with headquarters in Turin. IVECO Bus is now only a brand division of IVECO which is a company incorporated under Dutch law and listed on Borsa Italiana. History IVECO (1975 - 1999) In 1975 ...

, who manufacture its entire range of

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

es and

coaches Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

for France. These entrepreneurs invented the concept of the industrial zone. The descendants of the Montgolfier brothers, B. and E. de Canson invented

tracing paper Tracing paper is paper made to have low opacity, allowing light to pass through. It was originally developed for architects and design engineers to create drawings that could be copied precisely using the diazo copy process; it then found ma ...

and

photographic paper Photographic paper is a paper coated with a light-sensitive chemical formula, like photographic film, used for making photographic prints. When photographic paper is exposed to light, it captures a latent image that is then developed to form a v ...

. Weaving experiencing strong growth. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Annonay was the site of the last battles of 1940. On 6 June 1944 the local resistance of the Secret Army were the first to liberate their own city. These facts earned the city the

Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 The ''Croix de Guerre 1939–1945'' (English: War Cross 1939–1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the ''Croix de Guerre'' created on 26 September 1939 to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis forces at any ti ...

and a citation at the order of the nation. When peace returned, industrial sectors developed in Annonay such as food processing and pharmaceutical production. Other industries declined following the marginalisation of the work of leather and textile after great social conflict. The face of the city changed. From 1949 near the Besset factory a new district was created from scratch on farmland. It contains large housing subdivisions, schools, sports facilities and shops. Catholics built their fourth church in the city. Urbanization moved towards Boulieu-lès-Annonay, Roiffieux, and especially

with its industrial and commercial area. In the center, renovation of the old town, reconstruction of the banks of the Deume and the hillsides of Cance are scheduled. From a city with black façades, slums, and industrial wastelands, Annonay has become a colorful city made of new or rehabilitated buildings. The Deume has been covered for more than one kilometer and a new axis conveys traffic: the Avenue de l'Europe. The Annonay people celebrated with great pomp the centenary of the railway line (1970),

(1975 and 1986), and the bicentennial of the first flight of the

hot air balloon A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries p ...

(1983).

The 21st century

The city bore the brunt of deindustrialisation. Economic jewels disappeared causing job losses (industrial weaving, manufacture and paper production). At the same time new companies emerged bringing hope in the fields of food and cleaning equipment. Although more discreet in a secular society religious life remains. The Catholic community created the parish of Sainte-Claire by merging the parishes of the city of Annonay, Roiffieux,

Vocance Vocance (; oc, Vaucança) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and ter ...

Vanosc Vanosc (; oc, Vanòsc) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardèche department The following is a list of the 335 communes of the Ardèche department of France. The commune ...

, Saint-Julien-Vocance, Monestier, and the hamlet of Toissieu. The Protestant community is shared between the Evangelical Church and the

United Protestant Church of France The United Protestant Church of France (french: Église protestante unie de France) is the main and largest Protestant church in France, created in 2013 through the unification of the Reformed Church of France and the Evangelical Lutheran Church o ...

. The Muslim community built the ''House of the Orient'', a building which includes the first mosque in Annonay. On 8 March 2001, an

ETA Eta (uppercase , lowercase ; grc, ἦτα ''ē̂ta'' or ell, ήτα ''ita'' ) is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the close front unrounded vowel . Originally denoting the voiceless glottal fricative in most dialects, ...

suspect was arrested at a local roadblock. Associative and cultural life is rich. The people of Annonay celebrated the centennial of the opening of the new Church of Notre Dame (2012) and the establishment of the Joseph Besset factory (2013).

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors ;Mayors from 1942

Twin towns – sister cities

Annonay is twinned with: *

Backnang Backnang (; swg, Bagene) is a town in Germany in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, roughly northeast of Stuttgart. Its population has increased greatly over the past century, from 7,650 in 1900 to 35,761 in 2005. Backnang was ceded to W� ...

, Germany (1966) *

Barge Barge nowadays generally refers to a flat-bottomed inland waterway vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. The first modern barges were pulled by tugs, but nowadays most are pushed by pusher boats, or other vessels ...

, Italy (2001) *

Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...

, England, United Kingdom (1999) Annonay also cooperates with

Vysoké Mýto Vysoké Mýto (; german: Hohenmaut, also ''Hohenmauth'') is a town in Ústí nad Orlicí District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 12,000 inhabitants. Its town square is the largest example of its type in the country. T ...

in the Czech Republic.

Population

Distribution of age groups

The age distribution of the population of the town is similar to the average for the department. Percentage distribution of age groups in Annonay and Ardèche Department in 2017 Source: INSEEÉvolution et structure de la population en 2017: Commune d'Annonay (07010)
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Economy

Annonay has a strong industrial tradition, originally powered by the water flowing through the deep gorges around the town. In the 19th century, it was connected to the Paris-Lyon Railway and was famed for the best

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...

in France. It also produced

glove A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glov ...

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ...

and

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

woolen Woolen (American English) or woollen (Commonwealth English) is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn. Woolen yarn is in contrast t ...

, and silk goods. A modern dam was constructed across the Ternay, an affluent of the Deûme northwest of town, which expanded the power available to local factories. By the

, the leather industry had become predominant, while the economy expanded to include more

raw silk Raw Silk was an American dance band, which originated in New York. History Raw Silk first signed to West End Records, which was once a popular garage label, where they recorded moderate hits. Their songs were remixed by post-disco/ R&B produ ...

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

, chemical manures,

glue Adhesive, also known as glue, cement, mucilage, or paste, is any non-metallic substance applied to one or both surfaces of two separate items that binds them together and resists their separation. The use of adhesives offers certain advant ...

gelatine Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...

brush A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...

es,

chocolates Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civil ...

, and

candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candles i ...

s. Although the leather industry has since declined, the ''Tannerie d'Annonay'' ("Annonay

Tannery Tanning may refer to: *Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather *Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin **Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun **Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...

") continues the tradition under the ''Grison'' brand.

(a Renault Vehicles Industries and Fiat Iveco

joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acces ...

) builds buses and is the largest single employer with around 2,000 staff with several associated businesses. The multinational paper company

Arjo Wiggins Arjowiggins is an independent paper manufacturer based in Scotland. History The company's origins go back to 1761 when Buckland Mill in Dover in Kent commenced operations. Meanwhile, in France, in the middle of the 20th century there were four ...

subsidiary ''Papeteries Canson et Montgolfier SA'', which dates back to 1557 owns three of the several paper factories in the town. Other industries in or close to the town include plastics, textiles, and pharmaceutical companies including Ciba, Aguettant and Tetra Médical. There are a number of

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...

s near the town. The average salary in the area is 23,300

euro The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The Montgolfier brothers

*A Statue of the brothers Joseph and Etienne de Montgolfier located in the Place de Liberation. A work by the sculptor

Henri Cordier Henri Cordier (8 August 184916 March 1925) was a French linguist, historian, ethnographer, author, editor and Orientalist. He was President of the Société de Géographie ( French, "Geographical Society") in Paris. *A Monument to

, Place de la Liberté ( 1923 ). This bronze statue, the work of François Clémencin, was removed by the German army in 1942 then was replaced by a statue by the same sculptor which was inaugurated on 1 June 1947. *The Domain of Marc Seguin at Varagnes (19th century) is registered as a historical monument.

Boissy d'Anglas

*A Statue of François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas located at the Champ de Mars. The work of the sculptor Pierre Hébert, it was inaugurated on 5 October 1862. The base is decorated with a bas-relief bronze (also the work of Pierre Hébert) representing the meeting on 1

Prairial Prairial () was the ninth month in the French Republican Calendar. This month was named after the French word ''prairie'', which means ''meadow''. It was the name given to several ships. Prairial was the third month of the spring quarter (). ...

Year III of the

National Convention The National Convention (french: link=no, Convention nationale) was the parliament of the Kingdom of France for one day and the French First Republic for the rest of its existence during the French Revolution, following the two-year National ...

. *A Painting: Boissy d'Anglas at the National Convention, 1 Prairial Year III, the work of Auguste Jean-Baptiste Vinchon, displayed in the wedding hall of the Town Hall.

Fountains

*The Jean-Baptiste Béchetoille fountain (1900). The work of the architect Millefaud. *The Fountain in the Place Grenette (1726). *The Fountain in the Place de la Liberté opened in 1923.

Other sites of interest

*The City Hall of neoclassical inspiration (1835), rebuilt twice after fires (1870 and 1926). *The Fortified house of Nicolas du Peloux in Rue de la Postern (Governor in 1577). *Bourgeois mansions in Rue de Trachin from the 17th and 18th centuries. *The Valgelas Bridge (14th century), a former city gate.Abbot Filhol, ''Religious and Civil History of Annonay and Upper–Vivarais since the origin of the city to the present day'', Vols 1, 2, 3, and 4, Moussy ainé, 1882 *The La Vanaude House at 33 Avenue Marc-Seguin (1930) is registered as an historical monument. It is the work of the architects Hugues Gosselin and Maurice Frappa. *The César Filhol Museum in Rue Bechetoille (1700), formerly the royal bailiwick house. The museum contains two items that are registered as historical objects: **A Group Sculpture: Virgin of Pity (16th century) **A Statue: Christ (17th century) possibly by Veyrines. *The Place Mayol (16th century) with a door of glazing beads. *The Château of Déomas (1876) illustration of the "Sun Belt of Annonay". *Substantial remains of the railway line between

Firminy Firminy (; oc, Frominiu) is a commune in the Loire department in central France. It lies on the river Ondaine, 13 km southwest of Saint-Étienne by rail. History The ancient name of the town was ''Firminiaco'' or ''Firminiacus'' (lit. "pla ...

Bourg-Argental Bourg-Argental (; frp, Lo Bôrg-Argentâf; oc, Lo Borg d'Argentau) is a commune in the Loire department in central France. Population See also *Communes of the Loire department *Ary Bitter Ary Bitter (1883–1973) was a French artist, ...

, and

: ** Vidalon Tunnel, a passage on a ledge above the Deûme (covered in vegetation in 2013); **Retaining walls with characteristic stone-setting of the "Station district" (in the Place de la Gare in Annonay); Sacré-Cœur tunnel; **the Vissenty cutting.

Religious heritage

annonay, église Saint-Maurice de Toissieu (2)

*The Church Our Lady of the Assumption, in the neo-Byzantine Roman style, built between 1904 and 1912. Its bell tower contains a

Carillon A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bronze bells. The bells are hung in fixed suspension and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniou ...

of five bells with a weight more than . It replaced a church of the same patronage located on the Place de la Liberté.Parish of Sainte Claire d’Annonay-Vocance website
The work of the architects Rey, Allengry, and Joly. Its interior decoration (paste paintings) is inspired by the Litanies of the Blessed Virgin, the

Litany of Loreto The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Marian litany originally approved in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V. It is also known as the Litany of Loreto (Latin: ''Litaniæ lauretanæ''), after its first-known place of origin, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lor ...

, the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

hagiography A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian hagiographies migh ...

, and the history of Annonay.Antoine Grimaud, ''Annonay, municipal life from 1870 to 1920'', Imprimerie Hervé, Annonay, 1926, 540 pages Gaston Grimaud, ''My old Annonay'', Decombe frères, Annonay, 1948, 48 pages Consecrated in 1954, it contains many items that are registered as historical objects: **2 Statues: Adoring Angels (18th century) **A Statue: Virgin and child (18th century) **A Gallery Organ (1880) signed ''Cavaillé-Coll''. **A Choir Organ (1848) **2 Statues:

Acolyte An acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In others, the term is used f ...

Angels (17th century) **2 Statues:

Cherub A cherub (; plural cherubim; he, כְּרוּב ''kərūḇ'', pl. ''kərūḇīm'', likely borrowed from a derived form of akk, 𒅗𒊏𒁍 ''karabu'' "to bless" such as ''karibu'', "one who blesses", a name for the lamassu) is one of the u ...

s (17th century) **A Bust-Reliquary: Saint John of the Cross (17th century) **A Bust-Reliquary: Saint Peter of Alcantara (17th century) *The Church of

Saint Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a Mysticism, mystic Italian Catholic Church, Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most vener ...

, in neo-Gothic style (1863–1866). *The Church of

Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...

of Cance, in neo-Gothic style (1870–1872). *The Church of the

Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on, but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de Laval, the first ...

of Perrières, in modern style (1957–1958). *The Church of

Saint Maurice Saint Maurice (also Moritz, Morris, or Mauritius; ) was an Egyptians, Egyptian military leader who headed the legendary Theban Legion of Roman Empire, Rome in the 3rd century, and is one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that Ma ...

of Toissieu, in neo-Gothic style (1876–1878). *The Chapel of the Evangelical Free Church, Boulevard de la République (1900). *The Temple of the Reformed Church, Rue Franki Kramer, portal from the 18th century. *Orient House, Muslim cultural and religious center (2008–2013). *The Chapel of the Hospital, dating from the 17th century. The chapel contains many items that are registered as historical objects: **A Sideboard (19th century) **2

Apothecary ''Apothecary'' () is a mostly archaic term for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses '' materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons, and patients. The modern chemist (British English) or pharmacist (British and North Ameri ...

Jars (19th century) **A Venetian Wall lamp mirror (18th century) **A Chest of Drawers with diamond corners (18th century) **A Painting: Christ on the Cross (17th century) **A Painting: The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (17th century) **A Painting with gold frame: Pope Clement VI (18th century) **A Painting with gold frame: Saint Jerome (17th century) **A Painting with gold frame: Adoration of the Trinity (17th century) **24

Jars (19th century) **A Mortar and pestle (1654) **A Mortar and pestle with chopping block (13th century) *The Chapel of the Convent of Saint Mary (1633) is registered as an historical monument. The convent was built on the foundations of a castle called Malatour in 1630 with the Chapel built later in 1633. The chapel contains several items that are registered as historical objects: **A Triptyche: 3 paintings of the life of Saint Francis Regis (1888) **A

Retable A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate structur ...

(17th century) **A framed Painting: Raphael Sara and Tobie (17th century) **Wood panelling and Paintings (17th century) Vierge du rocher St Denis à Annonay

*The Vierge des Fouines Statue (Nosy Virgin Statue) or ''Our Lady of Faith Statue'' placed on the rocks of Saint-Denis. 5.22 metres tall and the work of Bachini from Lyon. It was blessed on 26 September 1943. *The Chapel of Trachin or Trachi is in

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style with an octagonal bell tower, with remains of a priory dating from 1320. The chapel contains several items that are registered as historical objects: **A Decorative ceiling painting (19th century) **A Bust of Saint François-de-Sales (17th century) **A Painting: the Nativity of the Virgin (18th century) **A Painting: Saints Jacques and Philippe (1658) **A Statue: Virgin and child (18th century) *The Chapel of Vidalon-les-Annonay contains a Gallery Organ (1818) that is registered as an historical object. *The former Chapel of Saint-Clair in Rue Sadi Carnot (14th century) is registered as an historical monument. It was built in

style from 1348 to 1356. *The Cemetery chapel at Toissieu.

Military Heritage

*The War Memorial (1914–1918, 1939–1945, and subsequent wars). Designed by architect Maurice Luquet, the statues ''The pensive soldier'' and ''The Stricken Woman'' were sculpted by

Paul Landowski Paul Maximilien Landowski (1 June 1875 – 31 March 1961) was a French monument sculptor of Polish descent. His best-known work is '' Christ the Redeemer'' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Biography Landowski was born in Paris, France, of a Polish re ...

. It was inaugurated on 25 June 1922. *The Monument of Mobiles (1907) at the cemetery. Designed by architect Theodore Joly and sculptor Aimé Millet. *An Old door from the castle dating from the 12th century. *The Soubises Vaults, remnants of the walls with a covered path around (12th–13th centuries). *The Tower of Martyrs, from the 12th century, the remains of the ramparts of the city, this tower is located above the Deume. It is said that the condemned were thrown to their death in the shallow river. It is also believed that the name may come from the Martins ford which it defended.

Cultural heritage

*The "Italian" Theatre (1887), in the Place des Cordeliers, built on the site of the chapel of the former Franciscan convent.

Notable people

François Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas François-Antoine, Count of the Empire (1756–1826) was a French writer, lawyer and politician during the Revolution and the Empire. Biography Early career Born to a Protestant family in Saint-Jean-Chambre, Ardèche, he studied Law and, afte ...

(1756–1826), writer, lawyer and politician * Pierre Bertrand (1280–1349), cardinal, theologian, and canonis *Joseph-Michel (1740–1810) and Jacques-Étienne

(1745–1799), aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers * André Joseph Abrial (1750–1826), politician and Minister of Justice *The

Monneron The Monneron family was a French family of businessmen and politicians, best known for the Monneron brothers. It originated in the small village of Ampurany near Tournon-sur-Rhône, but set up shop in Chanos since 1550. Antoine Monneron and his w ...

brothers, founders of the Monneron Bank (1791–1792):

Paul Mérault Monneron Paul Mérault Monneron or de Monneron (23 February 1748, Annonay, Ardèche – May 1788, Vanikoro) was an engineer officer in the French armed forces and from 1785 to 1788 a member of Lapérouse's expedition. Family His eldest brother Charle ...

, Chief Engineer of the

La Perouse expedition LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

, Joseph François Augustin Monneron, Pierre Antoine Monneron, Louis Monneron, and Charles Claude Ange Monneron. *

(1786–1875), engineer, inventor of the wire-cable suspension bridge and the

fire-tube boiler A fire-tube boiler is a type of boiler in which hot gases pass from a fire through one or more tubes running through a sealed container of water. The heat of the gases is transferred through the walls of the tubes by thermal conduction, heating t ...

Auguste Bravais Auguste Bravais (; 23 August 1811, Annonay, Ardèche – 30 March 1863, Le Chesnay, France) was a French physicist known for his work in crystallography, the conception of Bravais lattices, and the formulation of Bravais law. Bravais also studie ...

(1811–1863), physicist *

François Joseph Clozel Marie François Joseph Clozel (29 March 1860 – 10 May 1918) was a French colonial administrator who became Governor General of French West Africa. Interested in understanding the region, he took an active part in developing French scientific re ...

(1860–1918), governor of

French West Africa French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...

Joseph Canteloube Marie-Joseph Canteloube de Malaret (; 21 October 18794 November 1957) was a French composer, musicologist, and author best known for his collections of orchestrated folksongs from the Auvergne region, ''Chants d'Auvergne''. Biography Canteloube ...

(1879–1957), composer, musicologist and author *

Maurice Grimaud Maurice Grimaud (11 November 1913 – 16 July 2009) was the French Prefect of Police, or police chief, of the city of Paris during the May 1968 general strikes and student uprisings. He is credited with avoiding an escalation of violence and bloo ...

(1913–2009), police chief of Paris during the

May 68 Beginning in May 1968, a period of civil unrest occurred throughout France, lasting some seven weeks and punctuated by demonstrations, general strikes, as well as the occupation of universities and factories. At the height of events, which ha ...

*Fred (1924–2019) and René Mella (1926–2019), tenors of

Les Compagnons de la chanson Les Compagnons de la chanson were a French harmony vocal group from Lyon, France, founded in 1946. Their best known song was "Les trois cloches" recorded with Edith Piaf in 1946. They were a nine-member group, and they were popular in France with ...

* Roger Dumas (1932–2016) actor *

Olivier Dussopt Olivier Dussopt (born 16 August 1978 in Annonay, Ardèche) is French politician who has been serving as the minister of labour, employment and integration in the government of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne since 2022. He previously served as th ...

(born 1978), politician *

Clément Grenier Clément Jean Camille Grenier (born 7 January 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Mallorca. He has also represented France at senior and across all youth levels. Grenier plays in central midfield, as well as ...

(born 1991), footballer

Culture

*Archives: Parish and Civil Records, genealogical analysis, municipal Proceedings *Museum of the Canson & Montgolfier paper-makers: traces the history of the cottage industry of paper. It is the only museum to present a large working paper machine. *Vivarois Municipal Museum César Filhol: presents local ethnology, collections, and traces the history of local inventions by the Montgolfiers and Seguins. *

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; o ...

culture still holds a significant place *

Jean-Pierre Mocky Jean-Pierre Mocky (6 July 1929 – 8 August 2019), pseudonym of Jean-Paul Adam Mokiejewski, was a French film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. Life and career Mocky was born in Nice, France to Polish immigrant parents, Jeanne Zylinska ...

used the town as the setting for his film ''Litan'' (1982). *The 2003 part-

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

funded

movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

L'homme du train ''The Man on the Train'' (french: L'homme du train) is a 2002 French crime-drama film directed by Patrice Leconte, starring Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday. It was re-titled ''Man on the Train'' in the USA. The film was shot in Annonay, Fr ...

'' (The Man on the Train) was filmed in Annonay.

Culinary specialities

Angel wings Angel wings are a traditional sweet crisp pastry made out of dough that has been shaped into thin twisted ribbons, deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Common to many European cuisines, angel wings have been incorporated into other re ...

(Bugnes) *Pantins *Pogne of Annonay

Local press

The regional newspaper

Le Dauphiné Libéré ''Le Dauphiné libéré'' is a provincial daily French newspaper known for its emphasis on local news and events. The paper is published in Grenoble, France. History and profile Founded in 1945, it takes the name from the former province of Da ...

is available in Annonay. It also hosts the headquarters of the weekly ''Le Reveil du Vivarais''. Another weekly ''L'Hebdo de l'Ardèche'' also covers the territory. Since the early 2000s a free monthly made its appearance
L'Indispensable
is distributed among traders in the Annonay basin. It informs readers about cultural events taking place around the region.

Festivals

;Each year: *In February: **The Premier International Festival of FilmThe International Festival of Premier Films
*In June: **The Festival of Hot air Ballooning (1st weekend). **The ''Festi'roc 07'', a Christian modern music festival, it is organized by the Catholic parishes of the Annonay Basin. *In November: **The Love of good food of Ardèche and Upper Vivarais, (3rd weekend). This is organized by the association of the same name. During a weekend, the Place des Cordeliers becomes a showcase of Ardèche products. Sixty exhibitors and many activities punctuate this event. *The Championship of France for Hot air Ballooning

Gallery

Hôtel de Ville d'Annonay.jpg, City hall Annonay (Trachin).jpg, Bell Tower of the Chapel of Trachin valgelas.jpg , The Valgelas Bridge near the Soubises Vaults and the Place de la Mure Annonay (Notre Dame).jpg, Church of Our Lady Annonay, porte ancienne place Grenette.JPG , Old door in the Place Grenette (16th century) Annonay (St François).jpg, Church of Saint Francis Chemin des Terres, Annonay, Ardèches, France..JPG, Chemin des Terres Annonay (chapelle de l'hôpital).jpg, Chapel of the Hospital (18th century) Batisse typique d'Annonay, Ardèche, France..JPG, "Sainte-Barbe" House chateau_annonay-2.jpg, An overview of Mirecouly Castle, illustration of the "Sun belt"

Historical bibliography

*François Chomel, ''Annonay pas à pas, pierre à pierre'', Édition du Vivarais, Annonay, 1995, 250 p. *Pierre Fanget, ''Annonay ma ville'', Annonay, 1971. *Abbé Filhol, ''Histoire religieuse et civile d'Annonay et du Haut–Vivarais depuis l'origine de cette ville jusqu'à nos jours'', Tomes 1, 2, 3 et 4, Moussy ainé, 1882. *Emmanuelle Faure, Claude Osset, ''Annonay, Mémoire en images'', Éditions Alan Sutton, Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, 127 pages, 2004. *Emmanuelle Faure, Bernard Faure, Claude Osset, ''Annonay en Fêtes, 1860–2000'', Jean Pierre Huguet Editeur, Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette, 2002, 283 p. *''La Gazette d'Annonay'', Hebdomadaire local paraissant entre 1889 et 1944. *Antoine Grimaud, ''Annonay, la vie municipale de 1870 à 1920'', Imprimerie Hervé, Annonay, 1926, 540 p. *Gaston Grimaud, ''Mon vieil Annonay'', Decombe frères, Annonay, 1948, 48 p. *Le ''Journal d'Annonay'', Hebdomadaire local paraissant entre 1865 et 1944. *Abbé Léorat Picansel, ''Annonay pendant la Terreur'', Tomes 1 et 2, Amis du Fonds Vivarois, 1988. *Rémy Bernard, ''Histoire d'Annonay et sa région'', Horvath, Roanne, 1981, 149 p. *''Le Réveil du Vivarais et de la vallée du Rhône'', Hebdomadaire local paraissant depuis 1944.

Notes

References

* *

External links

Annonay Official website

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ardèche

Annonay on Lion1906Annonay on Géoportail
National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
''Annonay'' on the 1750 Cassini Map
{{Authority control Communes of Ardèche Massif Central