SAINT-ROMAIN-LE-PUY

'Saint-Romain-le-Puy' or 'Le Puy' is a French commune situated in the department of Loire and the Rhône-Alpes region. The town is located 8 Km from Montbrison along the D8. It was originally built on the volcanic peak (''le puy''), but has since migrated to the plain.
Local industries include Mineral Waters (François Parot, a public works entrepreneur sunk a well in 1858) and Glassmaking (Saint-Gobain-Emballage factory founded in 1893). Agriculture includes beef rearing, dairying and wine-growing.
Its inhabitants are known as ''Saint-Romanais''.
The commune is twinned with Monte San Biagio (Italy).

Contents

Geography

History

Demography

Places and monuments

Notable people with links to the commune

See also

External links

Map Links

Geography

Le Puy itself is of volcanic origin and the surrounding plain of Forez has basaltic conglomerates. Wells have been sunk to exploit the naturally sparkling mineral waters.

History

Le Puy is located on the Roman road, the ''Bolène Way'', linking Lyon (Lugdunum) to Bordeaux (Burdigala), which was constructed during the reign of the emperor Augustus, by his son-in-law Agrippa. It is also on the Gallo-Roman way from Sury to Changy. These roads were later reused by pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela.
About 500, Carétène (aunt of Saint Clotilde the wife of Clovis) replaced a temple of Venus (famous for a bath of youth utilising the areas' mineral springs) by a Christian church dedicated to Saint Michael.

Guy II de Forez, the feudal lord of Saint-Romain-le-Puy, was the vassal of Louis VII. In 1173, the fief of Saint-Romain was transferred from the Abbey of Ainay to the County of Lyon.
In 1218, Count Guy IV de Forez, gave the Priory (founded in 1007) into the care of the religious of Saint-Thomas-les-Nonnains.
There was longstanding conflict between the chateau and the priory.
In 1431, the town was pillaged by irregulars (''routiers'').
In 1531, Forez passed from the control of the Dukes of Bourbon to the Crown of France.
In 1633, the surrounding town wall was destroyed by order of Richelieu.
During World War I, the town lost 102 soldiers.

Demography

Demographic Changes

1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999
2,334	2,459	2,475	2,423	2,616	2,803
Census Enumeration : Population without double-counting

Places and monuments

★ Gallo-Roman villa at the nearby Chézieux;

★ Priory of Saint-Romain-le-Puy 10th century to 14th century. Fortified priory on a hill, founded by Abbey of Ainay. Historic Monument;

★ Château de La Bruyère and its outbuildings are late 18th century - early 19th century. The current castle was started in 1792 by Damian Battant de Pomerol, a lawyer in Montbrison, and was completed about 1803. Quid mentions that a castle in the town was referred to in the 12th century. Historic Monument - protected elements include the pigeon loft, roofing, salon and interior décor. There is also a fine park. Ref: E. Salomon, Les châteaux historiques de Forez, In-4, 1926, t. I, p66-70;

★ Parish church of Saint-Martin was built by Bouchetal at the very end of the reign of Conrad the Peaceful, king of Bourgogne-Provence 937 - 983 and was placed under the authority of the Abbey of Ainay in Lyon. The exterior has some Celtic symbols such as the swastika and horned feet. It is a successor to the church of Saint-Michael founded by Carétène.

Notable people with links to the commune

See also

★ Communes of the Loire département

External links

All sites in French, unless otherwise indicated.

★ Site of the Mayor's Office

★ Photographs of the Priory

★ History of Forez

★ A visit the Parot mineral water factory]

★ Census data for Saint-Romain-le-Puy on the INSEE site

★ Saint-Romain-le-Puy on the Institut Géographique National site

★ Weather for Saint-Romain-le-Puy

★ Financial Data for Saint-Romain-le-Puy from the Ministry of the Economy, Finances and Industry

★ Ministry of Culture site

★ Belltower of Parish Church

★ Closest communes to Saint-Romain-le-Puy

★ Saint-Romain-le-Puy on the Quid site (Note: requires payment for detailed information)

Map Links

★ Map and list of communes of the Loire

★ Map of Saint-Romain-le-Puy on Michelin (in English)

★ Map of Saint-Romain-le-Puy on the Institut Géographique National site

★ Map of Saint-Romain-le-Puy on Mapquest (in English)

★ Saint-Romain-le-Puy on the Cassini map

★ Map of Saint-Romain-le-Puy on Mappy (in English)

★ Location of Saint-Romain-le-Puy on a map of France

★ Calculate straight-line distance from Saint-Romain-le-Puy to other towns in the Loire