Annonay, France

Welcome to Annonay, a charming commune located in the north of the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. Although not the capital of the Ardèche department, Annonay is the most populous commune in the area. The city is situated at the confluence of the rivers Cance and Deûme and is surrounded by plateaux and gentle hills used for cultivating cherries, apricots, apples, pears, and other crops. Annonay is a crossroads of trade routes, making it a perfect destination for those interested in history and culture. The city is located 75 km (47 mi) south of Lyon, 13 km (8 mi) south-west of Saint-Rambert-dAlbon, and 13 km (8 mi) north-west of Saint-Vallier at the foot of the mountains of Vivarais just 6 km (4 mi) 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. Annonay has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. The city was an important step on the road of pilgrimage to the Virgin of Puy-en-Velay in the 13th and early 14th centuries. During the 15th century, Annonay became a commercial crossroads, exporting its wine and 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 ramparts ringed all. The suburbs grew towards the Champ de Mars along the banks of the Cance and Deume. Annonay adopted Protestantism before Geneva. From 1528 a Franciscan friar, Etienne Machopolis – who had heard Martin Luther preach in Saxony, 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. 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, Lord of Thorrenc and Andance. 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 bailiwicks 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 Annon