Belley

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For other uses, see Belley (disambiguation).
Belley
Subprefecture and commune
Place des Terreaux, Belley
Place des Terreaux, Belley
Coat of arms of Belley
Coat of arms
Location of Belley
Belley is located in France
Belley
Belley
Coordinates: 45°46′00″N 5°41′00″E / 45.7667°N 5.6833°E / 45.7667; 5.6833Coordinates: 45°46′00″N 5°41′00″E / 45.7667°N 5.6833°E / 45.7667; 5.6833
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentAin
ArrondissementBelley
CantonBelley
Intercommunality
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Dimitri Lahuerta
Area
1
22.42 km2 (8.66 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2018)[1]
9,122
 • Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Belleysans
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
01034 /01300
Elevation220–392 m (722–1,286 ft)
(avg. 306 m or 1,004 ft)
Websitewww.belley.fr
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Belley (French pronunciation: [bəlɛ] (About this soundlisten)[2][3][4]) 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. In 1385 the town was almost entirely destroyed by an act of incendiarism, but was municipalitysequently rebuilt by the dukes of Savoy, who surrounded it with ramparts of which little is left.[5]

Belley was the birthplace of the epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.

Ecclesiastical history[]

Belley was the seat of the Bishop of Belley and the location of Belley Cathedral. Belley is the home region of St. Peter Chanel, the famous 19th-century Marist missionary martyr and proto-martyr of Oceania.

Population[]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
20068,466—    
20078,665+2.4%
20088,750+1.0%
20098,749−0.0%
20108,755+0.1%
20118,761+0.1%
20128,870+1.2%
20138,909+0.4%
20148,983+0.8%
20159,058+0.8%
20169,133+0.8%

Climate[]

Belley features an oceanic climate (Cfb) but with strong continental influences due to its far inland position and its proximity to the Jura mountains under the Köppen system. Both temperatures above 30°C (86°F) and air frosts are common.

hideClimate data for Belley
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 5.2
(41.4) 		6.8
(44.2) 		11.6
(52.9) 		15.5
(59.9) 		18.8
(65.8) 		23.2
(73.8) 		25.1
(77.2) 		24.7
(76.5) 		20.7
(69.3) 		16.4
(61.5) 		9.8
(49.6) 		5.4
(41.7) 		15.3
(59.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.8
(35.2) 		2.8
(37.0) 		7.0
(44.6) 		10.9
(51.6) 		14.6
(58.3) 		18.8
(65.8) 		20.8
(69.4) 		20.4
(68.7) 		16.4
(61.5) 		12.1
(53.8) 		6.0
(42.8) 		2.4
(36.3) 		11.2
(52.1)
Average low °C (°F) −1.4
(29.5) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		2.0
(35.6) 		5.8
(42.4) 		9.7
(49.5) 		13.8
(56.8) 		16.0
(60.8) 		15.8
(60.4) 		12.0
(53.6) 		7.7
(45.9) 		2.4
(36.3) 		−0.7
(30.7) 		6.8
(44.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 126
(5.0) 		112
(4.4) 		113
(4.4) 		119
(4.7) 		141
(5.6) 		125
(4.9) 		115
(4.5) 		109
(4.3) 		111
(4.4) 		122
(4.8) 		144
(5.7) 		142
(5.6) 		1,479
(58.3)
Source: https://fr.climate-data.org/europe/france/rhone-alpes/belley-8333/

Economy[]

The town is famed for its cheese, la Tome de Belley, also known as or still "Le pavé d'Affinois". It is also at the centre of the Bugey wine region. It is also home to a sizeable Volvo production unit producing compact excavators, Comatel and Ciat.

Personalities[]

  • Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas lived at Bilignin near Belley through much of WW2.[6] Stein wrote 'Wars I have seen' as a diaristic account of that time.
  • French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin was born and lived in Belley and served as its mayor for some time.
  • French writer Andrée Martinerie (1917–1997) writer winner of the 1961 Prix des Libraires was born in Belley.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Populations légales 2018". INSEE. 28 December 2020.
  2. ^ Municipales Belley : ambiance de QG, retrieved 2021-07-29
  3. ^ Municipales Ain : Belley reste à droite, retrieved 2021-07-29
  4. ^ Belley (01) : inauguration du Collège Sabine Zlatin, fondatrice de la colonie des enfants d'Izieu, retrieved 2021-07-29
  5. ^  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Belley". Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 699.
  6. ^ Life and Letters: Gertrude Stein's War: The New Yorker

External links[]

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