Ain
Encyclopedia
Ain is a department named after the Ain River
on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes
and bordered by the rivers Saône
and Rhône
, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation. It has an excellent transport network (TGV
, highways) and benefits from the proximity to the international airports of Lyon
and Geneva
.
Ain is composed of four geographically different areas (Bresse
, Dombes
, Bugey
and Pays de Gex) which – each with its own characteristics – contribute to the diversity and the dynamic economic development of the department. In the Bresse agriculture and agro-industry are dominated by the cultivation of cereals, cattle breeding, milk and cheese production as well as poultry farming. In the Dombes
, pisciculture assumes greater importance as does viticulture in the Bugey
. The high diversification of the department's industry is accompanied by a strong presence of the plastics sector in and around Oyonnax (so-called "Plastics Valley").
Due to its industrial character and a close-meshed tissue of small and medium enterprises, Ain ranks among the departments with the fastest growing economy in the country. Its unemployment rate lies far beneath the national and regional average. Besides the export-oriented SME's, several large enterprises with a leading position on national and international markets have settled in the department.
Although looking ahead, Ain attaches nevertheless great importance to its historical and cultural heritage as illustrate its gastronomy (restaurant of Georges Blanc
in Vonnas
), its annual poultry competitions in the Bresse ("the three glorious") and its tourism (346 classified monuments such as the famous church of Brou
in Bourg-en-Bresse
, 14 museums of France, eco-tourism and ski tourism).
It should also be noted that Ain is an uncommon surname that often (if not, usually) suggests an Estonian background.
The first inhabitants settled in the territory of today's Ain about 15000 B.C. The menhir
of Simandre-sur-Suran dates from this era.
In the year 58 B.C. Julius Caesar
's military action against the Helvetians advancing towards Gaul on the territory of today's Ain marked the beginning of the Gallic Wars
.
Under the Merovingians, Ain belonged to the Kingdom of Burgundy. In the beginning of the 6th century A.D. the diocese of Belley
is created. Important abbeys of the order of Saint Benedict
are established in the valleys.
In 843 Ain was assigned to the kingdom of Lothar I by the Treaty of Verdun
. The first big fiefdom
s ("Seigneuries") emerge between 895 and 900 in Bâgé-la-Ville
and Coligny
. Numerous castles are erected. In the 12th century the romanic architecture prospers.
In the 11th century the Counts of Savoy
and Valromey settled in the region of Belley. In 1272 they receive the Bresse
and – by the Treaties of Paris in 1355 – the territories Dauphiné
and Gex
on the right bank of the Rhône
. In the beginning of the 15th century almost the whole region of Ain is united under the banner of Savoy. New monasteries are founded in the cities, churches are constructed or reshaped according to the gothic
style of architecture.
In the beginning of the 16th century – the Duchy of Savoy was at the peak of its power – Ain was a inherited by Margaret of Habsburg, the widow of Philibert II, Duke of Savoy
. In Brou
she erects a church and a monastery in late-gothic style. Bourg-en-Bresse becomes a bishop's see. After Margaret's death Francis I of France
, a nephew of the Dukes of Savoy, claimed the Duchy for himself and conquers it in 1536. The future department of Ain is now French. However, following a Treaty concluded in 1559 Savoy, including the territory of Ain, was restored to the Duke of Savoy who immediately starts fortifying it. Shortly after, Henry IV conquered the region again, but the citadel of Bourg remains impregnable. The Treaty of Lyon
of 17 January 1601 ends finally the conflict. Ain now belonged to Burgundy.
In the 17th century sculpture, painting and literature prosper. During the 18th century streets and small industries emerge. On 28 March 1762 the Count of Eu, son of the Duke of Maine, cedes the region Dombes to Louis XV.
In 1790, during the French Revolution
, the departments of Ain and Léman
are created. Ain is subdivided into 9 districts, 49 cantons and 501 communes. The Revolution does not claim many victims in the department, but it destroys numerous extraordinary valuable historical monuments. During the first French Consulate
(1802) the districts are abolished. The Congress of Vienna
dissolves the department of Léman and assigns the arrondissement Gex to the department of Ain.
During the French Revolution and the First Empire
a large number of churches were destroyed, but in 1823 the diocese of Belley is refounded. The Curé of Ars becomes famous. During the Second Empire numerous churches are reconstructed, agriculture changes profoundly, and the railway expands.
Due to its distance from the frontline the department is spared the destruction of World War I (1914–1918). However, the majority of the vineyards can no longer be cultivated and disappear. Industrialization of the department starts in Oyonnax
and Bellegarde
. The barrage of Genissiat is constructed in 1936.
World War II (1939–1945) vehemently strikes the department of Ain and takes its toll: 600 people are deported, half of them do not return. The monument of the Maquis
in Cerdon
, the memorial of the children of Izieu
and the museum of the resistance
and deportation in Nantua
commemorate this tragic era.
In the second half of the 20th century the industrialization of the department proceeds, favored by a narrow street and railway network.
is bordered by the river Saône
and rises slightly towards the north-east. In the south-east the territory of the Dombes
has more than a thousand ponds and lakes. In the east the mountain chain of the southern Jura
overlooks the plain of Bresse. The busy transport axes to Italy and Switzerland crisscross the valleys. The Gex
region is separated from the rest of the department by the last eastern mountain chain of the Jura where the highest elevation in the department, the Crêt de la Neige
(1720 m), can be found. Gex belongs geographically to the Lake Geneva
basin.
The river Saône represents the western border of the department. It is fed by three smaller rivers: the Reyssouze
(76 km), the Veyle
(68 km) and the Chalaronne
(52 km). The river Rhône
represents the departments border in the east and the south. Its main tributaries are the Seran (50 km) and notably the river Ain (190 km) which is fed itself by 118 small rivers and creeks.
Ain is situated at the crossroads of a large national and international flow of commodities and is therefore an important transit region. More than 4000 km of transport routes serve the department. In addition to a well-developed transport network of former national roads, which were transferred to the department in 2007, the Department of Ain is crisscrossed by 220 km of highway.
For national and international flights the international airports of Lyon
(Saint-Exupéry) and Geneva
(Cointrin) are located within a rather short distance. The department of Ain disposes moreover of two waterways, the rivers Saône and Rhone, on which building material is shipped (gravel etc.). The most important harbour is situated in Jassans-Riottier
at the river Saône.
Last but not least the railway network is of great importance, in particular the TGV
-connections Paris-Geneva (with a stop in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
) and Paris-Lyon (passing by the Saône valley). A new TGV-connection through the Haut Bugey
is under construction. It will reduce the actual travel time between Paris and Geneva by another 20 minutes. The regional TER (train and bus) network is important mainly as concerns the connection to Lyon
.
). This increase is primarily due to a positive migration balance testifying the department's attractiveness.
The average population density is 97 inhabitants/km² (Rhône-Alpes: 136; France: 112). While the Saône
valley, the Côtière, Bourg-en-Bresse
und the Gex
region have a high density of population, only 16 inhabitants/km² live in the mountainous canton Brénod
.
Half of the industry's employees (apart from the public works sector) are working in one of the three branches of the department:
The plastics industry, which is located mainly around the city of Oyonnax, is a highly productive branch of the economy and enjoys an excellent reputation. The "Plastics Valley" comprises 10 % of France's plastics industry which constitutes the highest concentration of plastics enterprises in Europe. The 349 enterprises which have settled here employ about 11,000 persons, more than a fourth of all employees of the tertiary sector (without public works). In the Oyonnax
basin, three of four employments are directly or indirectly depending on the plastics industry.
The agricultural industry, mainly located in the Bresse
, counts for more than 5,000 employees. It represents more than a fifth of the employees in the area of Bourg-en-Bresse
who work in the meat industry and in tinned food factories. The pillars of the agro-industry are an efficient agriculture providing for a significant number of high quality products as well as the presence of several leading companies of this branch. The emblematic poultry industry in the Bresse employs only 350 persons.
In 1992 the City of Bourg-en-Bresse, the department of Ain and the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce founded the technology platform "Alimentec". Its tasks are, among others, applied research, technical support, technology transfer and the advanced technical education in the agro-industrial sector. The activities of Alimentec focus on three priorities: ventilation systems, plastics packing and applied hygiene.
The industrial tissue of the department of Ain is also a result of its metal processing (cables, wire drawing, electrical wires) and engineering industry (automobile industry, France's most important site for truck production) as shows the presence of several major companies in this sector (Tréfileurope, Alcatel Cables, Renault Trucks). Foundry, metal processing and electrical industry occupy approximately 8,200 employees. Due to the diversity of the activities of these industries and their dispersion over the whole department, polarisation effects similar to those in the plastics sector have not yet been observed.
Counting more than 12,900 employees, the public works sector represents a significant share of the department's economy. About a quarter of all industry employees are working in this sector. The future development of the building sector benefits from the department's economic and demographic growth.
Thanks to its vast forests (more than a third of the department's surface) the timber industry employed in September 2007 approximately 4,500 workers.
The nuclear industry represents another economic factor. The nuclear power plant in the Bugey
produces about 4,2 % of French electricity, employs more than 1,350 workers and secures moreover numerous employments in the enterprises of the supply chain. Every day between 300 and 1,000 external employees are working in the power plant. Its importance for the local economy can not be underestimated.
Ain disposes finally of several industrial parks. Apart from the aforementioned Plastics Valley and numerous smaller business parks which have been founded by local initiatives the large industrial park of the plain of Ain has to be mentioned. With 700 ha this park will certainly become a centre for heavy industries in the region Rhône-Alpes.
, Grièges
and the Bresse
, carps and sturgeons of the Dombes
region as well as the wine of the Bugey
.
The total number of farms in the department amounts to 5,170, including 2,750 full-time farms. During the previous 25 years the number of farms has steadily diminished. While there were 14 600 farms in 1979, only 11,320 were counted in 1988 and 6,320 in 2000. The total farming surface of the department amounts to 268,361 ha, containing 150,917 ha arable farm land and 118,000 plant cultures (range land, viticulture, fruit meadows, tree nurseries). The value of the departments agricultural production reaches 545 million €. 52 % of this amount (274 million €) are allotted to animal products (cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, carp, milk) and 44 % (240 million €) concern crop (cereals, oil plants, wine, vegetables, flowers).
With a total of 22,973 employees and 9,000 self-employed persons the commercial sector contributes significantly to the overall employment in the department (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006).
More than three thirds of the expenses of the private households amounting to 4,4 billion € per year are feeding the commercial businesses inside the department which stand their ground vis-à-vis external competition.
In economic terms tourism in the department of Ain means 300 million € of business volume and 10,000 direct jobs as well as another 10,000 indirect employments. In December 2006 2,9 % of the department's employment was related to the tourist sector (source: Committee for Tourism in the Department of Ain, 2006).
In 2006 700,000 tourists visited the sites of interest in the department (museums, castles, religious monuments, gardens and caves). During the winter 2006/2007 winter sports activity was strongly restrained by the lack of snow. The number of daily skiing tourists amounted to 238,000 (180,500 for alpine skiing and 57,000 for cross-country skiing). The previous average amounted to 465,000 daily tourists per winter.
The angling and cycling tourism (27 circuits with altogether more than 1,500 km) attracts numerous visitors each year. The tourist infrastructure is good and divers. The hotel and hospitality sector counts about 1,100 establishments (hotels, camping grounds, bed and breakfast (so-called "gîtes"), holiday apartments, guest rooms etc.). Their joined capacity amounts to 40,850 beds. During the season 2006 2.5 million nights have been passed in the department compared to 2.7 million in 2002 (source: Committee for Tourism in the Department of Ain, 2006). 15,000 hunters are registered in the departments, 3,000 to 4,000 of whom hunt in the Dombes
, one of the best hunting regions for water birds in France.
and Bellignat
have settled in the department of Ain. In the Centre for University Studies which, has been relocated from the University Jean Moulin
Lyon
III to Bourg-en-Bresse, 540 students pursue their studies in 6 different branches : 4 "DEUG" (diplôme d’études universitaires générales = 2 years of studies) in law, modern foreign languages (English-German; English-Spanish), economic and social administration and business administration as well as a "Licence" (= 3 years of studies) and a "Maîtrise" (= 4 years, corresponds to the masters degree) in law (the "Maîtrise" with a specialisation in commercial and trade law).
Altogether 700 students are attending courses at Alimentec, the research and technology centre for applied nutritional sciences located in Bourg-en-Bresse (faculties: biology, energy sciences, informatics and biotechnology), or are qualified by the commercial college of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Bourg-en-Bresse. Furthermore, a branch of the Lyon faculty of education is situated in Bourg-en-Bresse providing 450 places for future school teachers.
In Bellignat
, in the heart of the Plastics Valley, a polytechnic university was founded in 1992 which is placed under the direct control of the Ministry of youth, education and research. The Ecole Supérieure de Plasturgie provides 140 places for future plastics engineers and disposes of a pluridisciplinary research laboratory which qualifies advanced students (notably PhD students).
Although it is headquartered just across the border in Geneva
, Switzerland, most of CERN
's Large Hadron Collider
lies in parts of several communes in the Arrondissement of Gex
in Ain.
The department of Ain consists of 4 arrondissements, 43 cantons and 419 communes.
The biggest cities are Bourg-en-Bresse
(40.300 inhabitants), Oyonnax
(23.200 inhabitants), Ambérieu-en-Bugey
(12.600 inhabitants) and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
(11.400 inhabitants) (estimates INSEE
, 2006).
57 of the department's 419 mayors (13.6 %) are women as well as 1,894 of the 5,763 members of the department's municipal councils (32.8 %). 3 out of 17 cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants (Trévoux, Miribel and Saint-Genis-Pouilly) are governed by a mayor belonging to a left-wing party.
Rachel Mazuir
since the French cantonal elections, 2008
, when the left-wing coalition seized control of the right-wing Ain.
. All of them are members of the right-wing UMP
. Apart from former departmental President Charles de La Verpillière
(2nd), the others are Xavier Breton
(1st), Étienne Blanc
(3rd) and Michel Voisin
(4th).
The Senators
from the Ain are Jacques Berthou
(DVG), Sylvie Goy-Chavent
(UMP), Rachel Mazuir
(PS).
Ain River
The Ain is a river in eastern France. In the Franco-Provençal language it is known as the En.-Global position:The river rises at an altitude of some 700 metres, near the village of La Favière, in the Jurassic limestone of the southern end of the Jura mountains and flows into the Rhône about 40...
on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
and bordered by the rivers Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
and Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation. It has an excellent transport network (TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
, highways) and benefits from the proximity to the international airports of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
Ain is composed of four geographically different areas (Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
, Dombes
Dombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
, Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
and Pays de Gex) which – each with its own characteristics – contribute to the diversity and the dynamic economic development of the department. In the Bresse agriculture and agro-industry are dominated by the cultivation of cereals, cattle breeding, milk and cheese production as well as poultry farming. In the Dombes
Dombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
, pisciculture assumes greater importance as does viticulture in the Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
. The high diversification of the department's industry is accompanied by a strong presence of the plastics sector in and around Oyonnax (so-called "Plastics Valley").
Due to its industrial character and a close-meshed tissue of small and medium enterprises, Ain ranks among the departments with the fastest growing economy in the country. Its unemployment rate lies far beneath the national and regional average. Besides the export-oriented SME's, several large enterprises with a leading position on national and international markets have settled in the department.
Although looking ahead, Ain attaches nevertheless great importance to its historical and cultural heritage as illustrate its gastronomy (restaurant of Georges Blanc
Georges Blanc
Adjutant Georges Pierre Blanc was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
in Vonnas
Vonnas
Vonnas is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.Vonnas has a famous restaurant with three stars in the Guide Michelin, the Hotel Restaurant Georges Blanc.-Geography:...
), its annual poultry competitions in the Bresse ("the three glorious") and its tourism (346 classified monuments such as the famous church of Brou
Royal Monastery of Brou
The Royal Monastery of Brou is a religious complex located at Bourg-en-Bresse in the Ain département, central France. It is composed of monastic buildings and a church, which were built at the beginning of the 16th century by Margaret of Austria, daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and...
in Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
, 14 museums of France, eco-tourism and ski tourism).
It should also be noted that Ain is an uncommon surname that often (if not, usually) suggests an Estonian background.
History
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
of Simandre-sur-Suran dates from this era.
In the year 58 B.C. Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's military action against the Helvetians advancing towards Gaul on the territory of today's Ain marked the beginning of the Gallic Wars
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
.
Under the Merovingians, Ain belonged to the Kingdom of Burgundy. In the beginning of the 6th century A.D. the diocese of Belley
Belley
Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France...
is created. Important abbeys of the order of Saint Benedict
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
are established in the valleys.
In 843 Ain was assigned to the kingdom of Lothar I by the Treaty of Verdun
Treaty of Verdun
The Treaty of Verdun was a treaty between the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, the son and successor of Charlemagne, which divided the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms...
. The first big fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
s ("Seigneuries") emerge between 895 and 900 in Bâgé-la-Ville
Bâgé-la-Ville
Bâgé-la-Ville is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bâgé-la-Ville is located in the heart of Bresse, between Bourg-en-Bresse and Mâcon.It is the largest commune in the department in terms of area.-Population:-References:*...
and Coligny
Coligny, Ain
Coligny is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:The commune lies near Bourg-en-Bresse; the Solnan forms its southwestern border.-Celtic background:Coligny is famed for its Celtic lunisolar calendar, the "Coligny calendar"...
. Numerous castles are erected. In the 12th century the romanic architecture prospers.
In the 11th century the Counts of Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
and Valromey settled in the region of Belley. In 1272 they receive the Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
and – by the Treaties of Paris in 1355 – the territories Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
and Gex
Gex, Ain
Gex is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies from the Swiss border and from Geneva. It is a sous-préfecture of Ain.-History:...
on the right bank of the Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
. In the beginning of the 15th century almost the whole region of Ain is united under the banner of Savoy. New monasteries are founded in the cities, churches are constructed or reshaped according to the gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style of architecture.
In the beginning of the 16th century – the Duchy of Savoy was at the peak of its power – Ain was a inherited by Margaret of Habsburg, the widow of Philibert II, Duke of Savoy
Philibert II, Duke of Savoy
Philibert II , surnamed the Handsome or the Good, was the Duke of Savoy from 1497 until his death.-Biography:...
. In Brou
Royal Monastery of Brou
The Royal Monastery of Brou is a religious complex located at Bourg-en-Bresse in the Ain département, central France. It is composed of monastic buildings and a church, which were built at the beginning of the 16th century by Margaret of Austria, daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and...
she erects a church and a monastery in late-gothic style. Bourg-en-Bresse becomes a bishop's see. After Margaret's death Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, a nephew of the Dukes of Savoy, claimed the Duchy for himself and conquers it in 1536. The future department of Ain is now French. However, following a Treaty concluded in 1559 Savoy, including the territory of Ain, was restored to the Duke of Savoy who immediately starts fortifying it. Shortly after, Henry IV conquered the region again, but the citadel of Bourg remains impregnable. The Treaty of Lyon
Treaty of Lyon (1601)
The Treaty of Lyon was signed on January 17, 1601 between France, Spain, and Savoy. Based on the terms of the treaty, Henry IV of France relinquished Saluzzo to Savoy. In return, he acquired Bugey, Valromey, Gex, and Bresse. Eventually, the territory of Bresse was attached to the French military...
of 17 January 1601 ends finally the conflict. Ain now belonged to Burgundy.
In the 17th century sculpture, painting and literature prosper. During the 18th century streets and small industries emerge. On 28 March 1762 the Count of Eu, son of the Duke of Maine, cedes the region Dombes to Louis XV.
In 1790, during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the departments of Ain and Léman
Léman
Léman was the name of a département of the First French Empire. Its name is the French name of Lake Geneva . It was formed in 1798, when the republic of Geneva was occupied by the French. Léman also included districts that were previously part of the départements Mont-Blanc and Ain .The capital of...
are created. Ain is subdivided into 9 districts, 49 cantons and 501 communes. The Revolution does not claim many victims in the department, but it destroys numerous extraordinary valuable historical monuments. During the first French Consulate
French Consulate
The Consulate was the government of France between the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799 until the start of the Napoleonic Empire in 1804...
(1802) the districts are abolished. The Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
dissolves the department of Léman and assigns the arrondissement Gex to the department of Ain.
During the French Revolution and the First Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
a large number of churches were destroyed, but in 1823 the diocese of Belley is refounded. The Curé of Ars becomes famous. During the Second Empire numerous churches are reconstructed, agriculture changes profoundly, and the railway expands.
Due to its distance from the frontline the department is spared the destruction of World War I (1914–1918). However, the majority of the vineyards can no longer be cultivated and disappear. Industrialization of the department starts in Oyonnax
Oyonnax
Oyonnax is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.-Population:-Miscellaneous:...
and Bellegarde
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
. The barrage of Genissiat is constructed in 1936.
World War II (1939–1945) vehemently strikes the department of Ain and takes its toll: 600 people are deported, half of them do not return. The monument of the Maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
in Cerdon
Cerdon, Ain
Cerdon is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It is known for its pink sparkling wine, and for its copper factory, the only one of its kind in France.-Population:- Curiosities :* The pink sparkling wine* The Copper factory...
, the memorial of the children of Izieu
Izieu
Izieu is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies on the Rhône River between the cities of Lyon and Chambéry.-History:Izieu was the site of a Jewish orphanage during the Second World War. Most of the children were however only separated from their parents or sent purposely in the...
and the museum of the resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
and deportation in Nantua
Nantua
Nantua is a commune and subprefecture in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:The town grew up around a Benedictine Monastery founded in 671 by St...
commemorate this tragic era.
In the second half of the 20th century the industrialization of the department proceeds, favored by a narrow street and railway network.
Geography and transport networks
Ain is a department of geographic contrasts: In the north the plain of BresseBresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
is bordered by the river Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
and rises slightly towards the north-east. In the south-east the territory of the Dombes
Dombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
has more than a thousand ponds and lakes. In the east the mountain chain of the southern Jura
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
overlooks the plain of Bresse. The busy transport axes to Italy and Switzerland crisscross the valleys. The Gex
Gex, Ain
Gex is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies from the Swiss border and from Geneva. It is a sous-préfecture of Ain.-History:...
region is separated from the rest of the department by the last eastern mountain chain of the Jura where the highest elevation in the department, the Crêt de la Neige
Crêt de la Neige
Le Crêt de la Neige is the highest peak in the Jura Mountains and the department of Ain in France. It is 1720m above sea level, instead of the 1718m used before 2003. Its prominence is 1230 m. It is located in the town of Thoiry....
(1720 m), can be found. Gex belongs geographically to the Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
basin.
The river Saône represents the western border of the department. It is fed by three smaller rivers: the Reyssouze
Reyssouze River
The Reyssouze is a river in the Ain department in eastern France. It is a left tributary of the Saône, which it joins near Pont-de-Vaux. Its source is in Journans, in the Bresse region. The Reyssouze flows generally northwest through the following communes: Montagnat, Bourg-en-Bresse, Attignat,...
(76 km), the Veyle
Veyle
The Veyle is a long river in the Ain département, eastern France. Its source is in Chalamont. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Saône into which it flows between Grièges and Crottet, near Mâcon.-Communes along its course:...
(68 km) and the Chalaronne
Chalaronne
The Chalaronne is a long river in the Ain département, eastern France. Its source is at Lapeyrouse, in the Dombes. It flows generally northwest...
(52 km). The river Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
represents the departments border in the east and the south. Its main tributaries are the Seran (50 km) and notably the river Ain (190 km) which is fed itself by 118 small rivers and creeks.
Ain is situated at the crossroads of a large national and international flow of commodities and is therefore an important transit region. More than 4000 km of transport routes serve the department. In addition to a well-developed transport network of former national roads, which were transferred to the department in 2007, the Department of Ain is crisscrossed by 220 km of highway.
For national and international flights the international airports of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
(Saint-Exupéry) and Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
(Cointrin) are located within a rather short distance. The department of Ain disposes moreover of two waterways, the rivers Saône and Rhone, on which building material is shipped (gravel etc.). The most important harbour is situated in Jassans-Riottier
Jassans-Riottier
Jassans-Riottier is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
at the river Saône.
Last but not least the railway network is of great importance, in particular the TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
-connections Paris-Geneva (with a stop in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
) and Paris-Lyon (passing by the Saône valley). A new TGV-connection through the Haut Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
is under construction. It will reduce the actual travel time between Paris and Geneva by another 20 minutes. The regional TER (train and bus) network is important mainly as concerns the connection to Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
Demographics
The department of Ain is marked by very dynamic demographics. The population has grown from 471,019 inhabitants in 1990 to 515,207 in 1999 and 565,000 in 2006 (estimates of the French statistics office INSEEINSEE
INSEE is the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the French economy and society, carrying out the periodic national census. Located in Paris, it is the French branch of Eurostat, European Statistical System...
). This increase is primarily due to a positive migration balance testifying the department's attractiveness.
The average population density is 97 inhabitants/km² (Rhône-Alpes: 136; France: 112). While the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
valley, the Côtière, Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
und the Gex
Gex, Ain
Gex is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies from the Swiss border and from Geneva. It is a sous-préfecture of Ain.-History:...
region have a high density of population, only 16 inhabitants/km² live in the mountainous canton Brénod
Brénod
Brénod is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France-Geography:The commune is located northeast of Lyon.The river Albarine rises in the commune's northern part, then flows southward through the commune; the village lies on the right bank of the river.-Population:-References:*...
.
General data
With an unemployment rate of only 5 % (compared to 7 % in the region Rhône-Alpes and 8 % in France), a close-meshed tissue of 11,500 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and a fast growing, export-oriented economy (main clients: Germany, Italy and Spain) the department of Ain is in economic terms one of the most dynamic regions of France.Industry
Despite its rural image the department of Ain is highly industrialised. In addition to a multitude of SME's several big enterprises of international reputation are situated in Ain (e.g. Roset-Cinna, Grosfillex, Volvo, Carrier, Smoby-Berchet, CIAT, Renault Trucks, Tréfileurope). With more than a third of all employees working in the industrial and public works sector Ain is holding the 6th rank of all departments as regards the degree of industrialisation and it is the most industrialised department within the region Rhône-Alpes. The small and medium enterprises contribute most to the industrial development of the department. While enterprises with more than 500 employees represent only 27 % of all industrial employment, the businesses with less than 100 employees count for 47%.Half of the industry's employees (apart from the public works sector) are working in one of the three branches of the department:
The plastics industry, which is located mainly around the city of Oyonnax, is a highly productive branch of the economy and enjoys an excellent reputation. The "Plastics Valley" comprises 10 % of France's plastics industry which constitutes the highest concentration of plastics enterprises in Europe. The 349 enterprises which have settled here employ about 11,000 persons, more than a fourth of all employees of the tertiary sector (without public works). In the Oyonnax
Oyonnax
Oyonnax is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.-Population:-Miscellaneous:...
basin, three of four employments are directly or indirectly depending on the plastics industry.
The agricultural industry, mainly located in the Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
, counts for more than 5,000 employees. It represents more than a fifth of the employees in the area of Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
who work in the meat industry and in tinned food factories. The pillars of the agro-industry are an efficient agriculture providing for a significant number of high quality products as well as the presence of several leading companies of this branch. The emblematic poultry industry in the Bresse employs only 350 persons.
In 1992 the City of Bourg-en-Bresse, the department of Ain and the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce founded the technology platform "Alimentec". Its tasks are, among others, applied research, technical support, technology transfer and the advanced technical education in the agro-industrial sector. The activities of Alimentec focus on three priorities: ventilation systems, plastics packing and applied hygiene.
The industrial tissue of the department of Ain is also a result of its metal processing (cables, wire drawing, electrical wires) and engineering industry (automobile industry, France's most important site for truck production) as shows the presence of several major companies in this sector (Tréfileurope, Alcatel Cables, Renault Trucks). Foundry, metal processing and electrical industry occupy approximately 8,200 employees. Due to the diversity of the activities of these industries and their dispersion over the whole department, polarisation effects similar to those in the plastics sector have not yet been observed.
Counting more than 12,900 employees, the public works sector represents a significant share of the department's economy. About a quarter of all industry employees are working in this sector. The future development of the building sector benefits from the department's economic and demographic growth.
Thanks to its vast forests (more than a third of the department's surface) the timber industry employed in September 2007 approximately 4,500 workers.
The nuclear industry represents another economic factor. The nuclear power plant in the Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
produces about 4,2 % of French electricity, employs more than 1,350 workers and secures moreover numerous employments in the enterprises of the supply chain. Every day between 300 and 1,000 external employees are working in the power plant. Its importance for the local economy can not be underestimated.
Ain disposes finally of several industrial parks. Apart from the aforementioned Plastics Valley and numerous smaller business parks which have been founded by local initiatives the large industrial park of the plain of Ain has to be mentioned. With 700 ha this park will certainly become a centre for heavy industries in the region Rhône-Alpes.
Agriculture
The diversified agriculture (cattle and poultry breeding, milk and milk products, cereals, vegetables and viticulture) generates products of national and international reputation. In particular have to be mentioned the Bresse poultries ("volaille de Bresse"), the mold cheese ("Bleu") of GexGex, Ain
Gex is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies from the Swiss border and from Geneva. It is a sous-préfecture of Ain.-History:...
, Grièges
Grièges
Grièges is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:The Veyle forms most of the commune's northern border, then flows into the Saône, which forms the commune's western border.-Population:-References:*...
and the Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
, carps and sturgeons of the Dombes
Dombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
region as well as the wine of the Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
.
The total number of farms in the department amounts to 5,170, including 2,750 full-time farms. During the previous 25 years the number of farms has steadily diminished. While there were 14 600 farms in 1979, only 11,320 were counted in 1988 and 6,320 in 2000. The total farming surface of the department amounts to 268,361 ha, containing 150,917 ha arable farm land and 118,000 plant cultures (range land, viticulture, fruit meadows, tree nurseries). The value of the departments agricultural production reaches 545 million €. 52 % of this amount (274 million €) are allotted to animal products (cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, carp, milk) and 44 % (240 million €) concern crop (cereals, oil plants, wine, vegetables, flowers).
Commerce
The commercial sector comprises 5,861 enterprises including 717 wholesalers and distributors (12,2 %), 539 automobile dealers and garages as well as 1,643 retailers and repair businesses (28 %) (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006).With a total of 22,973 employees and 9,000 self-employed persons the commercial sector contributes significantly to the overall employment in the department (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006).
More than three thirds of the expenses of the private households amounting to 4,4 billion € per year are feeding the commercial businesses inside the department which stand their ground vis-à-vis external competition.
Services
The strongly expanding services sector represents 46,6 % of all enterprises and about 55 000 employees (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006). Since 2003 the services branch employs more people than any other economic sector. Within the sector, services for enterprises represent 32,2 % of the employees. Consulting and IT-services are of growing importance. Educational services as well as health and social services are also sought after. They represent about a quarter of all employees in the services sector.Handcraft
More than 9,000 handcraft businesses in the department of Ain highlight the particular economic importance of this sector. The handcraft, which employs approximately 29,000 persons has always been an essential element of the local economy. Within the sector, the production is of particular importance, followed by the construction, the services and the alimentary sector.Tourism
In 2006 700,000 tourists visited the sites of interest in the department (museums, castles, religious monuments, gardens and caves). During the winter 2006/2007 winter sports activity was strongly restrained by the lack of snow. The number of daily skiing tourists amounted to 238,000 (180,500 for alpine skiing and 57,000 for cross-country skiing). The previous average amounted to 465,000 daily tourists per winter.
The angling and cycling tourism (27 circuits with altogether more than 1,500 km) attracts numerous visitors each year. The tourist infrastructure is good and divers. The hotel and hospitality sector counts about 1,100 establishments (hotels, camping grounds, bed and breakfast (so-called "gîtes"), holiday apartments, guest rooms etc.). Their joined capacity amounts to 40,850 beds. During the season 2006 2.5 million nights have been passed in the department compared to 2.7 million in 2002 (source: Committee for Tourism in the Department of Ain, 2006). 15,000 hunters are registered in the departments, 3,000 to 4,000 of whom hunt in the Dombes
Dombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
, one of the best hunting regions for water birds in France.
Research and higher education
Several colleges and research institutions which are situated in Bourg-en-BresseBourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
and Bellignat
Bellignat
Bellignat is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
have settled in the department of Ain. In the Centre for University Studies which, has been relocated from the University Jean Moulin
Jean Moulin
Jean Moulin was a high-profile member of the French Resistance during World War II. He is remembered today as an emblem of the Resistance primarily due to his role in unifying the French resistance under de Gaulle and his courage and death at the hands of the Germans.-Before the war:Moulin was...
Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
III to Bourg-en-Bresse, 540 students pursue their studies in 6 different branches : 4 "DEUG" (diplôme d’études universitaires générales = 2 years of studies) in law, modern foreign languages (English-German; English-Spanish), economic and social administration and business administration as well as a "Licence" (= 3 years of studies) and a "Maîtrise" (= 4 years, corresponds to the masters degree) in law (the "Maîtrise" with a specialisation in commercial and trade law).
Altogether 700 students are attending courses at Alimentec, the research and technology centre for applied nutritional sciences located in Bourg-en-Bresse (faculties: biology, energy sciences, informatics and biotechnology), or are qualified by the commercial college of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Bourg-en-Bresse. Furthermore, a branch of the Lyon faculty of education is situated in Bourg-en-Bresse providing 450 places for future school teachers.
In Bellignat
Bellignat
Bellignat is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, in the heart of the Plastics Valley, a polytechnic university was founded in 1992 which is placed under the direct control of the Ministry of youth, education and research. The Ecole Supérieure de Plasturgie provides 140 places for future plastics engineers and disposes of a pluridisciplinary research laboratory which qualifies advanced students (notably PhD students).
Although it is headquartered just across the border in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland, most of CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
's Large Hadron Collider
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It is expected to address some of the most fundamental questions of physics, advancing the understanding of the deepest laws of nature....
lies in parts of several communes in the Arrondissement of Gex
Arrondissement of Gex
The arrondissement of Gex is an arrondissement of France, located in the Ain department, in the Rhône-Alpes region. It has 3 cantons and 29 communes.-Cantons:The cantons of the arrondissement of Gex are:# Collonges# Ferney-Voltaire# Gex-Communes:...
in Ain.
Administrative organisation
| Arrondissement | Surface (km²) |
Cantons | Communes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belley Belley Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France... |
1307 | 9 | 107 |
| Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:... |
3105 | 24 | 219 |
| Gex Gex, Ain Gex is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies from the Swiss border and from Geneva. It is a sous-préfecture of Ain.-History:... |
426 | 3 | 29 |
| Nantua Nantua Nantua is a commune and subprefecture in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:The town grew up around a Benedictine Monastery founded in 671 by St... |
924 | 7 | 64 |
The biggest cities are Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
(40.300 inhabitants), Oyonnax
Oyonnax
Oyonnax is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.-Population:-Miscellaneous:...
(23.200 inhabitants), Ambérieu-en-Bugey
Ambérieu-en-Bugey
Ambérieu-en-Bugey is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.It is the largest town in the arrondissement of Belley and the seat of the Ambérieu-en-Bugey canton, as well as the capital of the historic region of Bugey.-Geography:...
(12.600 inhabitants) and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
(11.400 inhabitants) (estimates INSEE
INSEE
INSEE is the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the French economy and society, carrying out the periodic national census. Located in Paris, it is the French branch of Eurostat, European Statistical System...
, 2006).
List of arrondissements, cantons and communes of the department of Ain
- Arrondissements of the Ain department
- Cantons of the Ain department
- Communes of the Ain department
Corps of Prefects
| Pierre Soubelet | Prefect | since August 2006 |
| Pierre-Henri Vray | Secretary-General, Sub-Prefect of the arrondissement Bourg-en-Bresse | since February 2004 |
| Pascal Gauci | Chief of Cabinet and Sub-Prefect | since July 2006 |
| René Duchamp | Sub-Prefect of the arrondissement Belley | since August 2002 |
| Olivier Laurens-Bernard | Sub-Prefect of the arrondissement Gex | since September 2007 |
| Christian Michalak | Sub-Prefect of the arrondissement Nantua | since December 2006 |
Mayors of the largest cities
| City | Mayor (Party) |
|---|---|
| Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:... |
Jean-François Débat (PS) |
| Oyonnax Oyonnax Oyonnax is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.-Population:-Miscellaneous:... |
Michel Perraud (DVD) |
| Ambérieu-en-Bugey Ambérieu-en-Bugey Ambérieu-en-Bugey is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.It is the largest town in the arrondissement of Belley and the seat of the Ambérieu-en-Bugey canton, as well as the capital of the historic region of Bugey.-Geography:... |
Josyane Esposito (PS) |
| Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône.... |
Régis Petit (UMP) |
| Belley Belley Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France... |
Jean-Marc Fognini (PS) |
| Gex Gex, Ain Gex is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies from the Swiss border and from Geneva. It is a sous-préfecture of Ain.-History:... |
Gérard Paoli (DVD) |
| Nantua Nantua Nantua is a commune and subprefecture in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:The town grew up around a Benedictine Monastery founded in 671 by St... |
Jean-Pierre Carminati (DVD) |
57 of the department's 419 mayors (13.6 %) are women as well as 1,894 of the 5,763 members of the department's municipal councils (32.8 %). 3 out of 17 cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants (Trévoux, Miribel and Saint-Genis-Pouilly) are governed by a mayor belonging to a left-wing party.
Conseil général (General Council)
The President of the General Council is the SocialistSocialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
Rachel Mazuir
Rachel Mazuir
Rachel Mazuir is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Ain department. He is a member of the Socialist Party.-References:*...
since the French cantonal elections, 2008
French cantonal elections, 2008
Cantonal elections to elect half the membership of the general councils of France's 100 departments were held on 9 and 16 March 2008. These elections coincided with the municipal elections, in which the left did well.-Electoral system:...
, when the left-wing coalition seized control of the right-wing Ain.
| Party | seats | |
|---|---|---|
| • | Miscellaneous Left | 17 |
| Union for a Popular Movement Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
14 | |
| Miscellaneous Right | 6 | |
| • | Socialist Party Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... |
5 |
| • | Left Radical Party Left Radical Party The Radical Party of the Left is a minor social-liberal, and in opposition to its common understanding of its name, a moderate centre-left political party in France advocating radicalism, secularism to its french extend known as laïcité, progressivism, pro-Europeanism, individual freedom and... |
1 |
Representatives in the National Assembly and the Senate
According to its four constituencies, the département of Ain sends four representatives to the French National AssemblyFrench National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
. All of them are members of the right-wing UMP
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
. Apart from former departmental President Charles de La Verpillière
Charles de La Verpillière
Charles de La Verpillière is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the second constituency of the Ain department, and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement. La Verpillière is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur as well as a Chevalier of the Ordre national du...
(2nd), the others are Xavier Breton
Xavier Breton
Xavier Breton is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the first constituency of the Ain department, and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement.-References:...
(1st), Étienne Blanc
Étienne Blanc
Étienne Blanc is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the third constituency of the Ain department, and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement.-References:...
(3rd) and Michel Voisin
Michel Voisin
Michel Voisin is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the 4th constituency of the Ain department, and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement.-References:...
(4th).
The Senators
French Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.The Senate enjoys less prominence than the lower house, the directly elected National Assembly; debates in the Senate tend to be less tense and generally enjoy less media coverage.-History:France's first...
from the Ain are Jacques Berthou
Jacques Berthou
Jacques Berthou is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Ain department. He is a member of the Socialist Party. He has hold other elected posts...
(DVG), Sylvie Goy-Chavent
Sylvie Goy-Chavent
Sylvie Goy-Chavent is a French politician and a member of the Senate of France. She represents the Ain department and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement Party.-References:*...
(UMP), Rachel Mazuir
Rachel Mazuir
Rachel Mazuir is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Ain department. He is a member of the Socialist Party.-References:*...
(PS).