Place:Ain, France

Watchers
NameAin
TypeDépartement
Coordinates46.167°N 5.333°E
Located inFrance
Also located inRhône-Alpes, France    
Contained Places
Arrondissement
Bourg-en-Bresse
Commune
Ambléon
Ambronay
Ambutrix
Ambérieu-en-Bugey
Ambérieux-en-Dombes
Andert-et-Condon
Anglefort
Apremont
Aranc
Arandas
Arbent
Arbignieu
Arbigny
Argis
Armix
Ars-sur-Formans
Artemare
Asnières-sur-Saône
Attignat
Balan
Baneins
Beaupont
Beauregard
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Belley
Belleydoux
Bellignat
Belmont-Luthézieu
Bettant
Bey
Beynost
Billiat
Birieux
Biziat
Blyes
Bohas-Meyriat-Rignat
Boissey
Bolozon
Bouligneux
Bourg-Saint-Christophe
Boyeux-Saint-Jérôme
Boz
Brens
Bressolles
Brion
Briord
Brégnier-Cordon
Brénaz
Brénod
Buellas
Bâgé-la-Ville
Bâgé-le-Châtel
Béligneux
Bénonces
Bény
Béon
Béréziat
Ceignes
Cerdon
Certines
Cessy
Ceyzériat
Ceyzérieu
Chalamont
Chaleins
Chaley
Challes
Challex
Champagne-en-Valromey
Champdor
Champfromier
Chanay
Chaneins
Chanoz-Châtenay
Charix
Charnoz
Chaveyriat
Chavornay
Chazey-Bons
Chazey-sur-Ain
Château-Gaillard
Châtenay
Châtillon-de-Michaille
Châtillon-la-Palud
Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne
Cize
Coligny
Collonges
Colomieu
Conand
Condeissiat
Conzieu
Corbonod
Corlier
Cormaranche-en-Bugey
Crans
Cras-sur-Reyssouze
Cressin-Rochefort
Crozet
Culoz
Curtafond
Dagneux
Divonne-les-Bains
Dompierre-sur-Chalaronne
Domsure
Dortan
Douvres
Drom
Druillat
Faramans
Feillens
Ferney-Voltaire
Foissiat
Genouilleux
Gex
Giron
Grand-Corent
Groslée
Guéreins
Hautecourt-Romanèche
Hauteville-Lompnes
Hostiaz
Hotonnes
Injoux-Génissiat
Innimond
Izernore
Izieu
Jayat
Journans
Joyeux
L'Abergement-Clémenciat
L'Abergement-de-Varey
La Boisse
La Burbanche
La Chapelle-du-Châtelard
La Tranclière
Lagnieu
Lavours
Le Montellier
Le Plantay
Leyment
Lhuis
Lhôpital
Lochieu
Lompnaz
Lompnieu
Loyettes
Lélex
Magnieu
Malafretaz
Manziat
Marboz
Marignieu
Marsonnas
Massieux
Massignieu-de-Rives
Messimy-sur-Saône
Meximieux
Mijoux
Mionnay
Miribel
Mogneneins
Montagnat
Montanges
Montceaux
Montluel
Montmerle-sur-Saône
Montrevel-en-Bresse
Montréal-la-Cluse
Murs-et-Gélignieux
Mézériat
Nantua
Nattages
Neuville-les-Dames
Neuville-sur-Ain
Neyron
Nivollet-Montgriffon
Niévroz
Oncieu
Ordonnaz
Ornex
Oyonnax
Parves
Peyrieu
Peyzieux-sur-Saône
Pirajoux
Pizay
Plagne
Pollieu
Poncin
Pont-d'Ain
Pont-de-Vaux
Pont-de-Veyle
Pougny
Priay
Prémeyzel
Prémillieu
Pugieu
Péron
Pérouges
Ramasse
Replonges
Revonnas
Reyrieux
Rignieux-le-Franc
Romans
Rossillon
Ruffieu
Saint-André-de-Bâgé
Saint-André-le-Bouchoux
Saint-Benoît
Saint-Bois
Saint-Champ
Saint-Denis-en-Bugey
Saint-Didier-d'Aussiat
Saint-Didier-sur-Chalaronne
Saint-Georges-sur-Renon
Saint-Germain-de-Joux
Saint-Germain-les-Paroisses
Saint-Jean-de-Niost
Saint-Jean-sur-Veyle
Saint-Just
Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône
Saint-Martin-le-Châtel
Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost
Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans
Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens
Saint-Nizier-le-Désert
Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey
Saint-Sorlin-en-Bugey
Saint-Trivier-de-Courtes
Saint-Trivier-sur-Moignans
Saint-Vulbas
Saint-Éloi
Saint-Étienne-sur-Chalaronne
Sainte-Croix
Salavre
Sandrans
Sault-Brénaz
Serrières-de-Briord
Seyssel
Simandre-sur-Suran
Songieu
Souclin
Sulignat
Surjoux
Sutrieu
Talissieu
Tenay
Thil
Thoissey
Thézillieu
Torcieu
Tossiat
Toussieux
Tramoyes
Treffort-Cuisiat
Trévoux
Valeins
Varambon
Vaux-en-Bugey
Verjon
Versailleux
Vieu
Villars-les-Dombes
Villebois
Villemotier
Villereversure
Villes
Villette-sur-Ain
Villieu-Loyes-Mollon
Viriat
Virieu-le-Grand
Virieu-le-Petit
Virignin
Vongnes
Vonnas
Vésines
Étrez
Évosges
General region
Bugey
Dombes
Inhabited place
Arlod
Champagne-en-Valromay
Chézery
Cluse
Génissiat
Illiat
Jassans-Riottier
Jujurieux
Lacoux
Les Neyrolles
Marlieux
Martignat
Moulin-des-Ponts
Saint Génis-Pouilly
Saint-Julien
Treffort
Unknown
Amareins
Belmont
Bohas
Bouvent
Cesseins
Charancin
Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze
Chavannes-sur-Suran
Cheignieu-la-Balme
Chevillard
Chevroux
Chevry
Civrieux
Cleyzieu
Condamine
Confort
Confrançon
Contrevoz
Corcelles
Cordieux
Cormoranche-sur-Saône
Cormoz
Corveissiat
Courmangoux
Courtes
Craz
Crottet
Cruzilles-lès-Mépillat
Cuisiat
Curciat-Dongalon
Cuzieu
Dommartin
Dompierre-sur-Veyle
Dorches
Echallon
Echenevex
Fareins
Farges
Fitignieu
Flaxieu
Francheleins
Frans
Garnerans
Genay
Germagnat
Gorrevod
Granges
Gravelles
Grilly
Grièges
Groissiat
Géovreisset
Géovreissiat
Hautecourt
Hostias
Injoux
Izenave
Jasseron
Labalme
Laiz
Lalleyriat
Lancrans
Lantenay
Lapeyrouse
Le Grand-Abergement
Le Petit-Abergement
Le Poizat
Lent
Les Rippes
Lescheroux
Leyssard
Lilignod
Lompnas
Longchamp
Loyes
Lurcy
Luthézieu
Léaz
Maillat
Mantenay-Montlin
Marchamp
Matafelon
Meillonnas
Messimy
Meyriat
Misérieux
Mollon
Montagneux
Montagnieu
Montanay
Montcet
Monthieux
Montracol
Montréal
Mornay
Moëns
Mérignat
Napt
Ochiaz
Outriaz
Ozan
Parcieux
Passin
Percieux
Perrex
Peyriat
Polliat
Port
Pouillat
Pressiat
Prévessin
Péronnas
Rancé
Relevant
Reyssouze
Rignat
Rillieux
Romanèche
Saint-Alban
Saint-André-d'Huiriat
Saint-André-de-Corcy
Saint-André-sur-Vieux-Jonc
Saint-Bernard
Saint-Bénigne
Saint-Cyr-sur-Menthon
Saint-Denis-lès-Bourg
Saint-Didier-de-Formans
Saint-Etienne-du-Bois
Saint-Etienne-sur-Reyssouze
Saint-Genis-sur-Menthon
Saint-Germain-sur-Renon
Saint-Jean-de-Gonville
Saint-Jean-de-Thurigneux
Saint-Jean-le-Vieux
Saint-Jean-sur-Reyssouze
Saint-Julien-sur-Reyssouze
Saint-Julien-sur-Veyle
Saint-Marcel
Saint-Martin-de-Bavel
Saint-Martin-du-Frêne
Saint-Martin-du-Mont
Saint-Nizier-le-Bouchoux
Saint-Paul-de-Varax
Saint-Rémy
Saint-Sulpice
Saint-Trivier-en-Dombes
Sainte-Euphémie
Sainte-Julie
Sainte-Olive
Samognat
Sathonay-Camp
Sathonay-Village
Sauverny
Savigneux
Savignieux
Seillonnaz
Sergy
Sermoyer
Serrières-sur-Ain
Servas
Servignat
Simandre
Sonthonnax-la-Montagne
Ségny
Thoiry
Thol
Vandeins
Vernoux
Versonnex
Vesancy
Vescours
Veyziat
Vieu-d'Izenave
Villeneuve
Villette
Villieu
Volognat
Vouvray
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
source: Family History Library Catalog


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Ain is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where it neighbours the cantons of Geneva and Vaud. In 2019, it had a population of 652,432.

Ain is composed of four geographically different areas (Bresse, Dombes, Bugey and Pays de Gex), each of which contribute to the diverse and dynamic economic development of the department. In Bresse, agriculture and agro-industry are dominated by the cultivation of cereals, cattle breeding, milk and cheese production as well as poultry farming. In Dombes, pisciculture assumes greater importance, as does winemaking in Bugey.

Ain's prefecture is Bourg-en-Bresse. It is bordered by Jura to the north; Saône-et-Loire to the northeast; Rhône and the Lyon Metropolis to the southwest; Isère to the south; Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Switzerland to the east.

In the alphabetical ordering of French departments, used for postal and demographic purposes amongst others, Ain comes first and is thus assigned the number 01 as its department number.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

The first inhabitants settled in the territory of today's Ain about 15000 BC. The menhir of in Simandre-sur-Suran dates from the mid-Neolithic era, in the fourth or third millennium BC. The late-second century BC Calendar of Coligny bears the oldest surviving Gaulish inscription.

In 58 BC, Julius Caesar's military action against the Helvetians, advancing through Gaul over the territory of today's Ain, marked the beginning of the Gallic Wars.

Under the Merovingians, the four historic regions of the modern department belonged to the Kingdom of Burgundy. At the start of the 6th century AD, the diocese of Belley (Bellicum) was created as the first bishopric in the region. Abbeys of the order of Saint Benedict were established in the valleys.

In 843, the Treaty of Verdun assigned the territories that comprised Ain to the kingdom of Lothar I (Lotharingia). The first big fiefdoms ("seigneuries") emerged between 895 and 900 in Bâgé-le-Châtel, which formed the nucleus of the pays of Bresse, and in Coligny. Numerous castles were erected in a low rolling terrain that was not otherwise easily defended. In the 12th century, Romanesque architecture flourished.

In the 11th century, the Counts of Savoy and Valromey settled in the region of Belley. In 1272, when Sibylle de Bâgé, sole heir, married Amadeus V, Count of Savoy, they added Bresse to their domains, and – by the Treaties of Paris in 1355 – the territories of Dauphiné and Gex on the right bank of the Rhône.

At the start of the 15th century, almost the whole region of Ain was united under the house of Savoy. New monasteries were founded in the cities and churches were constructed or reshaped in the Gothic style of architecture.


At the start of the 16th century, the Duchy of Savoy was at the peak of its power and Ain was inherited by Margaret of Habsburg, the widow of Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. In Brou, she erected a church and a monastery in late-Gothic style. Bourg-en-Bresse became 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 conquered it in 1536. Following a treaty concluded in 1559 at Savoy, the territory of Ain was restored to the Duke of Savoy, who immediately started fortifying it. During the Franco-Savoyard War of 1600–1601, Henri IV of France reconquered the region, although the citadel of Bourg remained impregnable. The Treaty of Lyon of 17 January 1601 finally ended the conflict. Ain now belonged to Burgundy.

In the 17th century, sculpture, painting, and literature prospered. During the 18th century, streets and small industries emerged. On 28 March 1762, the Count of Eu, son of the Duke of Maine, ceded the region of Dombes to Louis XV.

In 1790, during the French Revolution, the departments of Ain and Léman were created. Ain was subdivided into nine districts, 49 cantons (now 23 cantons) and 501 communes. The Revolution did not claim many victims in the department, but it destroyed numerous valuable historical monuments. During the first French Consulate (1802), the districts were abolished. The Congress of Vienna dissolved the department of Léman and assigned the arrondissement of 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 was refounded. The Curé of Ars became famous. During the Second French Empire, numerous churches were rebuilt, agriculture changed profoundly, and the railways expanded.

Due to its distance from the front line, the department was spared the destruction of World War I (1914–1918). However, the majority of the vineyards could no longer be cultivated, and disappeared. Industrialization of the department began in Oyonnax and Bellegarde. Construction of the Barrage de Génissiat started in 1937.

World War II (1939–1945) vehemently struck the department of Ain and took its toll as 600 people were deported, half whom did not return. Commemorating this tragic era are: the monument of the Maquis in Cerdon, the memorial of the children of Izieu, and the museum of the resistance and deportation in Nantua.

In the second half of the 20th century, industrialisation of the department proceeded, favoured by an expansive road and railway network.

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