Tournon-sur-Rhône (; , before 1988: ''Tournon'') is a commune in the

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

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is one of the most populous communes in the Ardèche department, after

Annonay Annonay (; ) is a Communes of France, commune and largest city in the north of the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It is the most populous commune in the Ardèche department although it is not the ...

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

, and Guilherand-Granges.

Geography

It is located on the right bank of the river

Rhône The Rhône ( , ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Ròse''; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Rôno'') is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before dischargi ...

, in the

Drôme Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.

History

Tournon had its own

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

s as early as the 9th century reign of

Louis I Louis I may refer to: Cardinals * Louis I, Cardinal of Guise (1527–1578) Counts * Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg (c. 1098–1158) * Louis I of Blois (1172–1205) * Louis I of Flanders (1304–1346) * Louis I of Châtillon (died 13 ...

. In the middle of the 17th century the title passed from them to the dukes of Ventadour.

Population

Notable sights

*The church of St Julian dates chiefly from the 14th century. *The occupies an old college founded in the 16th century by Cardinal François de Tournon, and is today still a functioning high school but is occasionally open for tours. * One of the two suspension bridges which unite the town with Tain-l'Hermitage on the left bank of the river is the . It was built in 1825 and is the oldest suspension bridge in France, today carrying only pedestrians. *The Château de Tournon has a museum and commanding views over the Rhône.

Notable people

* François de Tournon (1489-1562), cardinal, Archbishop of Aude, then of Lyon, advisor to King Francis I * Jean-Antoine Courbis (1752–1795), lawyer and revolutionary * Sébastien Joly (born 1979), racing cyclist, coach and sports director * Greta Richioud (born 1996), racing cyclist

Geography

History

Population

Notable sights

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading