| Ain | |
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| Coat of arms of the Ain department | |
| Location | |
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| Administration | |
| Department number: | 01 |
| Region: | Rhône-Alpes |
| Prefecture: | Bourg-en-Bresse |
| Subprefectures: | Belley Gex Nantua |
| Arrondissements: | 4 |
| Cantons: | 43 |
| Communes: | 419 |
| President of the General Council: | Rachel Mazuir PS |
| Statistics | |
| Population | Ranked 42th |
| -2006 | 565,000 |
| Population density: | 97/km² |
| Land area¹: | 5762 km² |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km². The term administration, as used in the context of Government, differs according to Jurisdiction. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, Rhône-Alpes ( Franco-Provençal: Rôno-Arpes; Occitan: Ròse Aups) is one of the 26 regions of France, located on the A prefecture ( préfecture) in France can refer to: the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a ''département'' Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain Subprefectures (sous-préfectures are the administrative towns of arrondissements in France that do not contain the prefecture for its department. Belley ( Arpitan: Bèlê) is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Gex is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. It lies 5 km from the Swiss border and 16 km from Geneva Nantua is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The 4 arrondissements of the Ain department are Arrondissement of Belley, ( subprefecture: Belley) with 9 The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 341 arrondissements and 100 departments. The following is a list of the 43 cantons of the Ain department, in France, sorted by arrondissement: Arrondissement The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. The following is a list of the 419 communes of the Ain département in France. In France, the President of the General Council (French Président du conseil général) is the locally-elected head of the General Council, the assembly The Socialist Party ( Parti Socialiste, PS is the largest left-wing political party in France. As of January 1, 2008, 64473140 people live in the French Republic. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open | |
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Ain (IPA: [ɛ̃]; Arpitan: En) is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. A prefecture ( préfecture) in France can refer to: the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a ''département'' Franco-Provençal ( Francoprovençal) or Arpitan ( Vernacular: frp francoprovençâl arpitan patouès; francoprovenzale arpitano dialetto In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division The Ain is a River in eastern France. In the Franco-Provençal language it is known as the En. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation. Rhône-Alpes ( Franco-Provençal: Rôno-Arpes; Occitan: Ròse Aups) is one of the 26 regions of France, located on the The Saône (son ( Sona in Arpitan) is a River of eastern France. The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. It has an excellent transport network (TGV, highways) and benefits from the proximity to the international airports of Lyon and Geneva. The TGV ( t rain à g rande v itesse, French for "high-speed train" is France 's High-speed rail service ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking
Ain is composed of four geographically different areas (Bresse, Dombes, Bugey and Gex) which – each with its own characteristics – contribute to the diversity and the dynamic economic development of the department. Bresse ( Arpitan: Brêsse) is a former French province. It is located in the Rhône-Alpes ( Rôno-Arpes) région The Dombes ( Arpitan: Domba) is an historic region of east-south-eastern France, once an independent municipality formerly part of the The Bugey ( Arpitan: Bugê) is a historical region in the département of Ain ( En) France GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years 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 the pisciculture assumes greater importance as does the viticulture in the Bugey. The Dombes ( Arpitan: Domba) is an historic region of east-south-eastern France, once an independent municipality formerly part of the The Bugey ( Arpitan: Bugê) is a historical region in the département of Ain ( En) France The high diversification of the departments 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). Vonnas is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain
It should also be noted that Ain is an uncommon surname that often (if not, usually) suggests a Slavic/Judaic background.
History
The first inhabitants settle in the territory of today’s Ain about 15000 B. C. The menhir of Simandre-sur-Suran dates from this era. A menhir is a large upright Standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as Monoliths or as part of a group of similar stones
In the year of 58 B. C. Cesar’s military action against the Helvetians advancing towards Gaul on the territory of today’s Ain marks the beginning of the Gallic Wars. Cesar ( Spanish, French and Portuguese - as C é sar - for Caesar) may refer to People César Augusto The Helvetii were a Celtic tribe and the main occupants of the Swiss plateau in the 1st century BC The Gallic Wars were a series of Military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes, lasting from
Under the Merovingians Ain belongs to the Kingdom of Burgundy. The Merovingians (also Merovings) were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region (known as Francia in Latin Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) In the beginning of the 6th century A. D. the diocese of Belley is created. Belley ( Arpitan: Bèlê) is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Important abbeys of the order of Saint Benedict settle down in the valleys. This article concerns Roman Catholic Order of Saint Benedict see also Benedictine Confederation and Benedictine.
In 843 Ain is assigned to the kingdom of Lothar I by the Treaty of Verdun. Lothair I ( German: Lothar, French: Lothaire, Italian: Lotario) (795 &ndash 29 September 855) In the Treaty of Verdun of 843 the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, Charlemagne 's grandsons divided his territories the Carolingian The first big fiefdoms („Seigneuries“) emerge between 895 and 900 in Bâgé and Coligny. Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing Coligny is a commune, near Bourg-en-Bresse in the department of Ain in eastern France. Numerous castles are erected. In the 12th century the romanic architecture prospers. The Romance languages (sometimes referred to as Romanic languages, or Neolatin languages) are a branch of the Indo-European language family comprising all
In the 11th century the Counts of Savoy and Valromey settle in the region of Belley. For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French 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. Bresse ( Arpitan: Brêsse) is a former French province. It is located in the Rhône-Alpes ( Rôno-Arpes) région The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, roughly corresponding to the present departments ' of the GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. 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 is on the peak of its power – Ain falls as a heritage to Margaret of Habsburg, the widow of Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. Philibert II ( 10 April 1480 &ndash 10 September 1504) surnamed the Handsome or the Good was the Duke of Savoy from 1497 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 François I, a nephew of the Dukes of Savoy, claims the Duchy for himself and conquers it in 1536. Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 The future department of Ain is now French. However, following a Treaty concluded in 1559 Savoy including the territory of Ain is restored to the Duke of Savoy who immediately starts fortifying it. Shortly after, Henry IV conquers the region again, but the citadel of Bourg remains impregnable. The Treaty of Lyon of 17 January 1601 ends finally the conflict. Ain belongs now to Burgundy.
In the 17th century sculpture, painting and literature are prospering. 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. Louis XV (15 February 1710 &ndash 10 May 1774 ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774
In 1790, during the French Revolution, the departments of Ain and Léman are created. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Léman was the name of a département of the First French Empire. 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 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 The Congress of Vienna dissolves the department of Léman and assigns the arrondissement Gex to the department of Ain. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich
Whereas during the French Revolution and the First Empire a large number of churches have been destroyed, in 1823 the diocese of Belley is refounded. The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or The Curé of Ars becomes famous. Saint Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney ( 1786 - August 4, 1859) was a French parish priest who became a Catholic Saint and the During the Second Empire numerous churches are reconstructed, the agriculture changes profoundly, the railway expands.
Due to its distance from the frontline the department is spared of the destructions of World War I (1914-1918). World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All However, the majority of the vineyards can not be cultivated any more and disappears. The industrialization of the department starts in Oyonnax and Bellegarde. Oyonnax (ɔjɔna is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. 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. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including 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. Cerdon is the name of several communes in France: Cerdon, in the Ain département Cerdon Izieu is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German Nantua is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.
In the second half of the 20th century the industrialization in 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 Bresse bordered by the river Saone and slightly mounting towards north-east. Bresse ( Arpitan: Brêsse) is a former French province. It is located in the Rhône-Alpes ( Rôno-Arpes) région The Saône (son ( Sona in Arpitan) is a River of eastern France. In the south-east the territory of the Dombes covered by more than thousand ponds and lakes. The Dombes ( Arpitan: Domba) is an historic region of east-south-eastern France, once an independent municipality formerly part of the In the east the mountain chain of the southern Jura oversees the plain of the Bresse. The Jura Mountains are a small Mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of The busy transport axes to Italy and Switzerland crisscross the valleys. The Gex region is separated by 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 is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years Le Crêt de la Neige is the highest peak in the Jura mountains and the department of Ain in France. Gex belongs geographically to the Lake Geneva basin. Lake Geneva or Lake Léman (Lac Léman Léman Lac de Genève is the second largest freshwater Lake in Central Europe in terms of surface area (after
The river Saone 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). Reyssouze is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. The river Rhône represents the departments border in the east and the south. The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. Its main feeders are the Seran (50 km) and notably the river Ain (190 km) which is fed itself by 118 small rivers and creeks.
More than 4 000 km of routes of transport are serving the department of Ain. Ain is situated on the crossroads of the big national and international flows of commodities and therefore an important transit region. Apart from a well developed transport network of former national roads, which have been transferred to the department in 2007, the department 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. ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking The department of Ain disposes moreover of two waterways, the rivers Saone and Rhone, on which building material is shipped (gravel etc. ). The most important harbour is situated in Jassans-Riottier at the river Saone. Jassans-Riottier is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.
Last but not least the railway network is of great importance, in particular the TGV-connections Paris-Geneva (with stop in Bellegarde) and Paris-Lyon (passing by the Saone valley). The TGV ( t rain à g rande v itesse, French for "high-speed train" is France 's High-speed rail service A new TGV-connection through the Haut Bugey is actually worked on. The Bugey ( Arpitan: Bugê) is a historical region in the département of Ain ( En) France 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, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France.
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 INSEE). INSEE ( French: I nstitut N ational de la S tatistique et des É tudes É conomiques; inse (not) in French is the 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. The Saône (son ( Sona in Arpitan) is a River of eastern France. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years Brénod is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.
Economy
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 (SME's) 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. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
Industry
Unlike 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, 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 basin, three of four employments are directly or indirectly depending on the plastics industry. Oyonnax (ɔjɔna is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.
The agricultural industry, mainly located in the Bresse, counts for more than 5,000 employees. Bresse ( Arpitan: Brêsse) is a former French province. It is located in the Rhône-Alpes ( Rôno-Arpes) région 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. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain 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. The Bugey ( Arpitan: Bugê) is a historical region in the département of Ain ( En) France 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 Gex, Grièges and the Bresse, carps and sturgeons of the Dombes region as well as the wine of the Bugey. GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years Grièges is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Bresse ( Arpitan: Brêsse) is a former French province. It is located in the Rhône-Alpes ( Rôno-Arpes) région The Dombes ( Arpitan: Domba) is an historic region of east-south-eastern France, once an independent municipality formerly part of the The Bugey ( Arpitan: Bugê) is a historical region in the département of Ain ( En) France
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, carpe, 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 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. The Dombes ( Arpitan: Domba) is an historic region of east-south-eastern France, once an independent municipality formerly part of the
Research and higher education
Several colleges and research institutions which are situated in Bourg-en-Bresse and Bellignat have settled in the department of Ain. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain Bellignat is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. 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). Jean Moulin ( June 20, 1899 – July 8, 1943) was a high-profile member of the French Resistance during World War II ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing
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. Bellignat is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. The Ecole Supérieure de Plasturgie provides 140 places for future plastics engineers and disposes of a pluridisciplinary research laboratory which qualifies advanced students (notably Ph. D. students).
Administration and Representatives
Administrative organisation
The department of Ain consists of 4 arrondissements, 43 cantons and 419 communes.
| Arrondissement | Surface (km²) |
Cantons | Communes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belley | 1307 | 9 | 107 |
| Bourg-en-Bresse | 3105 | 24 | 219 |
| Gex | 426 | 3 | 29 |
| Nantua | 924 | 7 | 64 |
The biggest cities are Bourg-en-Bresse (40. Belley ( Arpitan: Bèlê) is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years Nantua is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain 300 inhabitants), Oyonnax (23. Oyonnax (ɔjɔna is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. 200 inhabitants), Ambérieu-en-Bugey (12. Ambérieu-en-Bugey is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. 600 inhabitants) and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine (11. Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. 400 inhabitants) (estimates INSEE, 2006). INSEE ( French: I nstitut N ational de la S tatistique et des É tudes É conomiques; inse (not) in French is the
List of arrondissements, cantons and communes of the department of Ain
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 biggest cities and of the capitals of the arrondissements
| City | Mayor (Party) |
|---|---|
| Bourg-en-Bresse | Jean-Michel Bertrand (UMP) |
| Oyonnax | Jacques Gobet (UMP) |
| Ambérieu-en-Bugey | Gilles Piralla (DVD) |
| Bellegarde-sur-Valserine | Régis Petit (UMP) |
| Belley | Jean-Claude Travers (UMP) |
| Gex | Gérard Paoli (UMP) |
| Nantua | Gérard Maille (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 %). The 4 arrondissements of the Ain department are Arrondissement of Belley, ( subprefecture: Belley) with 9 The following is a list of the 43 cantons of the Ain department, in France, sorted by arrondissement: Arrondissement The following is a list of the 419 communes of the Ain département in France. Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain Oyonnax (ɔjɔna is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Ambérieu-en-Bugey is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Belley ( Arpitan: Bèlê) is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years Nantua is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. 3 out of 17 cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants (Trévoux, Miribel and Saint-Genis-Pouilly) are governed by a mayor belonging to the left-wing political spectrum.
Conseil général (General Council)
The 43 seats of the General Council which has been elected in March 2004 are allocated as follows: 25 seats are held by the conservative majority (UMP, UDF, DVD) while the left-wing opposition parties (SOC, DVG) hold 18 seats. President of the General Council is Charles Leclerc de la Verpillière, state counsellor (Conseiller d’Etat) and former president of the department’s UMP. In March 2004 he succeeded Jean Pepin. In June 2007 de la Verpillière has been elected member of the French National Assembly being a deputy of the departments second electoral district (see the following list of parliamentarians). Two general counsellors (conseillers généraux) are members of the French parliament: Charles de la Verpillière and Jean Pepin, first vice-president of the General Council, who is sitting in the Senate as a member of the UMP.
Conseil régional (Regional Council)
The elections of the Regional Council in Rhône-Alpes on 28 March 2004 have seen a clear victory of the left which obtained 94 of the 157 seats. The department of Ain holds 14 seats in the Regional Council which have been won by three electoral lists as follows: "Rhône-Alpes for all" with left-wing parties and Greens won 8 seats, the alliance "Together for the Region" (LDR) conquered 4 seats (2 of them UDF) and the party "National Front for Rhône-Alpes" 2 seats. The most important representatives of the Regional Council are on the conservative side ("la droite") Michel Voisin, deputy of the National Assembly, mayor of Replonges (UMP) and president of the mayor’s association of Ain. On the socialist side ("la gauche") has to be mentioned Jean-François Débat, municipal counsellor of Bourg-en-Bresse (SOC) as well as Michel Raymond, mayor of Trevoux (SOC).
Representatives in the National Assembly and the Senate
According to its four electoral districts, the département of Ain sends four representatives to the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale). The National Assembly is either a Legislature, or the Lower house of a Bicameral legislature in some countries Besides the President of the General Council Charles de la Verpillière (UMP, 2nd electoral district) these are Xavier Breton (UMP, first electoral district, at the same time deputy mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse), Etienne Blanc (UMP, third electoral district, at the same time mayor of Divonne-les-Bains) and Michel Voisin (UMP, fourth electoral district, at the same time mayor of Replonges, member of the Regional Council and President of the mayor's association of the department). Bourg-en-Bresse (buʁkɑ̃bʁɛs Bôrg in Arpitan language) is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain Divonne-les-Bains is a commune in the department of Ain (01 in eastern France. Replonges is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France.
The parliamentarians of the Senate are Jean Pepin (UMP, at the same time first vice-president of the General Council) and Jean-Paul Emin (UMP).
External links
- (French) Prefecture website
- (French) General Council website
- (French) Ain Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- (English) Tourism site
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