annonay

Annonay is a town and commune in the Ardche dpartement of France in the Rhne-Alpes region. It lies a few kilometres from the river Rhne, 75 kilometres south of Lyon and 40 from Saint-tienne. The postal code is 07100 (and the INSEE code 07010). Population (1999) 17,457. The town's name may be of Roman origin.

History

By the Middle Ages, the town was already thriving and was the home to several powerful families. Pilgrims stopped in the town on the way from the Rhne valley to the shrine of the Virgin Mary at Puy-en-Velay. The town was plundered several times by invading armys and armed bands, and suffered during the Hundred Years' War, despite the wall that were built around the town. In the first half of the 16th century, the town was influenced by Luthean and Calvinist ideas and there were several skirmishes between protestants and catholics, with several "heretics" being burnt alive. The population had reached 3,500 by the start of the religious wars in 1562. The wars were used as a pretext to deprive the town of its prosperity. The nearby castle of Pugneux was badly damaged on two occasions. 1585 to 1586 were especially disastrous, with not only war, but famine and the plague. Fortunately calm and prosperity retunded after the 1598 Edict of Nantes. October 21, 1879 - French composer, singer and folk-song collector Joseph Canteloube (Marie-Joseph Canteloube de Malaret) was born in Annonay. On March 8, 2001, an ETA terrorist suspect was arrested at a local roadblock.

Current Events

On June 4, 1783, Annonay was the location of the Montgolfier brothers first public unmanned hot air balloon flight. The event is celebrated annually each June, on the site of the flight in the place des Cordeliers. The town is home to an annual international film festival.

Economy

Annonay has a strong industrial tradition. In the past Annonay was noted for its leather goods. Although the industry has declined, the Tannerie D'Annonay (Tannery) continues the tradition under the Grison brand. IrisBus, a Renault Vehicles Industries and Fiat Iveco joint venture, constructs busses, and is the largest single employer with around 2,000 staff, and several associated businesses. The multinational paper company Arjo Wiggins' subsidiary Paptries Canson et Montgolfier SA, which dates back to 1557 (and is linked to the Montgolfier brothers?), 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 Mdical. There are a number of vineyards near the town. The average salary in the area is 23,300 euro.