Wikipedia

Ambronay

Ambronay (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃bʁɔnɛ] ⓘ) is a commune in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France.[3]

Ambronay
Commune
Town hall
Town hall
Coat of arms of Ambronay
Coat of arms
Location of Ambronay
Map
Ambronay is located in France
Ambronay
Ambronay
Ambronay is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Ambronay
Ambronay
Coordinates: 46°00′23″N 5°21′40″E / 46.0064°N 5.3611°E / 46.0064; 5.3611
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentAin
ArrondissementBelley
CantonAmbérieu-en-Bugey
IntercommunalityLa Plaine de l'Ain
Government
 • Mayor (2023–2026) Vincent Mancuso[1]
Area
1
33.55 km2 (12.95 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
2,833
 • Density84/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
01007 /01500
Elevation225–765 m (738–2,510 ft)
(avg. 246 m or 807 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The commune covers an area of 33.55 km2 (12.95 sq mi). Vincent Mancuso is the mayor for the 2020-2026 tenure.

Geography

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The commune of Ambronay is at the centre of a semicircle of mountains at the foot of the westernmost foothills of the Jura Mountains and is bordered in the west by the river Ain.

Ambronay is located some 50 km west of Annecy and some 50 km north-east of Lyon. The A42 autoroute (E611) traverses the western part of the commune from north to south with an exit to the D12 near the hamlet of Genoud. The D1075 road runs parallel to and east of the Autoroute from Pont-d'Ain in the north to Saint-Denis-en-Bugey in the south. The D12 and D12A road runs from Priay in the west through the commune to the village. The D36 road also runs north-east from the D1075 from the southern border of the commune to the village and continues north-east to Saint-Jean-le-Vieux. there are also numerous local roads covering the whole commune. A railway line runs from Pont d'Ain in the north to Amberieu-en-Bugey in the south parallel to and near the D1075 road. There is a railway station (Ambronay—Priay) in the commune west of the village just north of the D12A road.[4]

It is a rural commune with a land area of 3,355 hectares of which 720 are wooded - mostly in the east.

There are a number of hamlets in the commune. These are:

  • Championnierre
  • Chenavieux
  • Coutelieu
  • Genoud
  • Les Ambrines
  • Longeville
  • Malafan
  • Merland
  • Vorgey

The highest point is at a place called le Morimont which rises to 643m; on the plain the lowest point is 299m near the hamlet of Genoud.

The Ain river flows to the south just west of the commune and a number of streams flow from the commune to this river including the Cozance and the Seymard. There are a number of small lakes to the north of the village.

Toponymy

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The name Ambronay may come from one of the Germanic and Celtic tribes, the Ambrones, that fought the Roman Republic and its allies in the Cimbrian War (113–101 BCE).[5] The tribal alliance fought at least three major battles against Roman forces in southern Gaul.

History

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Roman remains are evidence of the distant origins of Ambronay. An Irish monk initially founded an abbey of women. Then in 800 Saint Barnard, an officer of the court of Charlemagne, undertook the restoration of the original buildings and installed a monastery which followed the rule of Saint Benedict. He obtained full independence for the abbey and, over the centuries, it became increasingly powerful. In a papal bull of 1051 Pope Leo IX attested to that independence. Greed and many wars, however, led to the Abbey asking the Savoyards for protection in 1282. Ambronay was then fortified.

In 1470 the city had its current coat of arms and in 1601 it was attached to the kingdom of France by the Treaty of Lyon. Biron levelled the Dauphine tower and the decline of the Abbey continued until 1652 when it was attached to the rich congregation of monks of Saint Maur. Large restoration works were undertaken.

The French Revolution removed all religious orders on 12 July 1790 and everything from Ambronay was scattered. The cloister was converted into a prison. In 1793 Albitte pulled down the abbey tower. It was not until 21 December 1889 that Canon Garcin and MP Alexandre Bérard obtained the beginning of the classification as a historical monument of the Abbey, followed in 1905 by the cloister. The town has had its present form since 1762. The main street was then famous but then lost its covered walkway, the northern quarter, and two of its three gates. Only the Gargouille gate has been preserved.

Ambronay appears as Ambronay on the 1750 Cassini Map[6] and the same on the 1790 version.[7]

A military camp was located on the plain in 1916 to provide bread to soldiers at the front during the First World War. It finally closed in June 2008.

The International Baroque Music Festival was created in 1980. In 2003 the Cultural Encounter Centre of Ambronay was opened.

The restoration of old buildings continues and was a part of the French government project 1000 Projets in 2009.

Heraldry

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Arms of Aigrefeuille d'Aunis
 Blazon:

Gules, charged with 13 lictor's rods Tawny radiant with ears of wheat the same tied in Or.



Administration

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List of mayors of Ambronay[8]

From To Name Party
1971 1983 François Beau
1983 2001 Daniel Benassy DVG
2001 2008 Gabriel Fournier UDF
2008 2014 Robert Greffet
2014 2020 Gisèle Levrat DVG
2020 2023 Marie-Christine Barillot[9]
2023 Vincent Mancuso

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 1,193—    
1975 1,270+0.90%
1982 1,862+5.62%
1990 1,996+0.87%
1999 2,146+0.81%
2007 2,263+0.67%
2012 2,437+1.49%
2017 2,726+2.27%
Source: INSEE[10]

Economy

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The Ambronay—Priay Station at the beginning of the 20th century

Financial year 2008

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Elements of calculation
  • Total population DGF = 2,316
  • Potential 4 taxes = 1,250,326
  • Financial potential = 1,533,145
  • Financial potential by population DGF = ~ 661.98
  • Financial potential per capita stratum = ~ 727.92
Main financial resources
  • Buildings (before capping) = 255,016
  • Undeveloped land (before capping) = 30,713
  • Housing tax (before capping) = 200,943
  • Block grant = 499,653
  • assets of Urban solidarity (DSU) = 6,776
  • Total assets (Lump - DSU - DSR - DNP) = 506,429

Total per population by DGF = ~ 218.66

The commune of Ambronay has a total of about 800 households, whose average income (in 2004) was around €16,200 / year. More than half of households had two vehicles (average of less than one third nationally).

The working population is about 1,000 with an unemployment rate above 9%. The commune has 82 business enterprises with core businesses being trades, construction, and particularly services.

Culture and heritage

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Civil heritage

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The commune has a number of sites that are registered as historical monuments:

  • Fort Sarrazin (1323) [11]
  • The Chateau of Silans Park [12]
  • The Town Hall Park. [13] The Town Hall is an old chateau from the 16th century and was rebuilt in the 19th century.
  • The Chateau of Saint-Gras Park [14]

Religious heritage

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The commune has two religious sites that are registered as historical monuments:

  • The old Abbey of Our Lady of Ambronay (13th century) [15]
  • The Cloister Garden [16]
  • The former abbey church, Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, contains a large number of items that are registered as historical objects.[15]
Picture Gallery of the Abbey
  •  
    Exterior of the Abbey
  •  
    Cloister of the Abbey
  •  
    Inside a cloister
  •  
    View of the cloister
  •  
    Recumbent Statue of Jacques de Mauvoisin, Abbot of Ambronay from 1425 to 1437, 15th century
  •  
    Stained Glass in the abbey
  •  
    Bust of Louis Thallon
  •  
    Statue of Saint Bernard
  •  
    Village Plan in the stairs in the old library
  •  
    The Archives Tower of the Abbey
  •  
    Detail above a door to the Abbey
  •  
    Statue on the exterior of the Abbey
  •  
    Baptismal Font in the Abbey
  •  
    The Nave
  •  
    Interior of the Abbey
  •  
    Detail in the interior of the Abbey

Cultural events

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Labelled a Cultural Encounter Centre since 2003, Ambronay is a place where culture is accessible to everyone, a place of open exchange. Children, teens, amateurs, professionals, researchers, students, international artists, young professionals, everyone finds in Ambronay a creative development space open to all.

For students and young musicians, the European Baroque Academy offers master classes with many international projects and professional development.

For young people, Ambronay offers artistic and educational courses "a la carte" for, among other things, hosting cultural classes.

For amateurs, the Ambronay Festival brings together between thirty and forty renowned singers every year. Around its artistic reflection and its theme of "sacred music", the centre of research at Ambronay chooses to deploy researchers and designers in different directions working together to explore the social, intellectual, human, and artistic ramifications. Continuing its ambition to improve the employability of young musicians and researchers, Ambronay will expand its productions to enable the emerging talent of tomorrow.

Finally, the Ambronay Label has been distributed by Harmonia Mundi since 2005. With the support of institutional partners, a new phase of restoration and enhancement of its heritage is opening.

Personalities

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  • Louis Tholon, inventor of the direct vision spectroscope, was born in the town in 1875.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "INSEE commune file". Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Ambronay on Google Maps". Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  5. ^ History of the Gauls from ancient times to the time of domination of the Romans Archived 7 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine, Amédée Thierry (in French)
  6. ^ "AMBRONAY on the 1750 Cassini Map". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  7. ^ "AMBRONAY on the 1790 Cassini Map". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  8. ^ List of Mayors of France Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
  9. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  10. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968 Archived 26 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine, INSEE
  11. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00125733 Fort Sarrazin (in French)
  12. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA01000325 Chateau of Silans Park (in French)
  13. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA01000323 Town Hall Park (in French)
  14. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA01000322 Chateau of Saint-Gras Park (in French)
  15. ^ a b Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00116291 Abbey of Our Lady of Ambronay (in French) 
  16. ^ Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA01000324 Cloister Garden (in French)
  17. ^ "Tourist Routes of Ain". Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
 
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