Annonay

Sister cities

• Barge
• Backnang
• Chelmsford

History

The first written mention of Annonay dates from 403. A chronicle of archives in Vienne characterized the city as a small town "built by poor unclothed workers lost in the mountains of Haut-Vivarais". A manuscript which has now disappeared, History of Annonay by P. Bartholomew Popon stated that Evance, Bishop of Vienne, had built on the site of Liberty Square a church dedicated to Saint-Mary or Our Lady in 584. A charter of 790 ("The statutes of the Church of Vienne"), confirmed in 805, extracted from the cartulary of the Church of Vienne and quoted Annonay as the seat of a rural archpriest. 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. In witness to this hostelries for pilgrims, five monasteries including the Saint-Clair Convent, one Cordelier, 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. 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 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 Rhône, the Dauphiné 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: in the north Maleton and in the west Du Peloux. A line of…

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 (east-west) and from Lyon to south of the Massif Central (north-south). It is located south of Lyon, south-west of Saint-Rambert-d'Albon, and north-west of Saint-Vallier at the foot of the mountains of Vivarais just west of the river Rhône. 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 in the south-west. There is also the D578 from the city to Quintenas 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. The geology consists mainly of grey or light orange leucogranite and orthogneiss rich in biotite, sillimanite, and cordierite with alternating bands of felsic and mafic material. The escarpment of Annonay is surrounded by plateaux and gentle hills used for cultivating cherries, apricots, apples, pears, 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.

Most-observed species

• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,409
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,349
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,204
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,069
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  991
• Carrion Crow

  Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  985
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  972
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  919

Most recent

• M 3.3 — 2025-05-06
  8 km W of Chapareillan, France
• M 4.8 — 2019-11-11
  5 km WNW of Rochemaure, France
• M 2.8 — 2008-11-25
  2 km N of Malataverne, France
• M 2.8 — 2008-05-04
  6 km NE of Brioude, France
• M 2.5 — 2008-02-25
  1 km ESE of Domène, France
• M 2.6 — 2008-01-24
  7 km S of Le Cheylard, France