Antraigues-sur-Volane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Antraigues-sur-Volane
Part of Vallées-d'Antraigues-Asperjoc
Where the Bise and Volane rivers meet
Antraigues-sur-Volane Location in France Show map of France Antraigues-sur-Volane Location in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Ardèche
Arrondissement	Largentière
Canton	Aubenas-1
Commune	Vallées-d'Antraigues-Asperjoc
Area 1	13.46 km2 (5.20 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	498
• Density	37.00/km2 (95.83/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal code	07530
Elevation	372–1,344 m (1,220–4,409 ft) (avg. 472 m or 1,549 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Antraigues-sur-Volane was once a small town, or commune, in southern France. Its name means "Antraigues on the Volane river." It was part of the Ardèche area in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. On January 1, 2019, Antraigues-sur-Volane joined with another town to form a new, bigger commune called Vallées-d'Antraigues-Asperjoc.

Exploring Antraigues-sur-Volane

Where is Antraigues-sur-Volane?

Antraigues-sur-Volane is about 5 kilometers north of a town called Vals-les-Bains. It's also about 14 kilometers north of Aubenas. The village sits on the edge of the Ardèche Cévennes mountains. Its northern border reaches the Mézilhac Pass and the Vivarais Mountains.

You can get to the area using the D578 road. This road goes from Vals-les-Bains in the south, right through the village, and then north to Laviolle. Other roads, like the D254 and D318, are more winding and go through the mountains.

Rivers and Streams

The Volane river flows through the area from the north. Many smaller streams join it along the way. These include the Rouyon stream, the Bouchet stream, the Fuels stream, and the Bise river. The Coupe stream even forms the southern edge of the area.

Nearby Towns and Villages

	Laviolle	Mezilhac	Saint-Joseph-des-Bancs
	Labastide-sur-Besorgues		Genestelle
		Antraigues-sur-Volane
	Juvinas	Vals-les-Bains	Saint-Andeol-de-Vals

History of Antraigues-sur-Volane

In 1841, a part of Antraigues became its own separate town called Laviolle. The town officially got its current name, Antraigues-sur-Volane, on August 20, 1989.

In the 1960s, something special happened. The mayor at the time, Jean Saussac, invited many famous artists to the village. People like Jacques Brel, Lino Ventura, and Jean Ferrat came to live there. Some even became assistant mayors, helping with culture. Because of this, Antraigues-sur-Volane earned the nickname "Little Saint Tropez of the Ardèche." Saint Tropez is a very famous and glamorous town on the French coast.

How the Town was Run

Isabelle Aubret, Pierre Tenenbaum, and Michel Pesenti at the funeral of Jean Ferrat

A mayor is the leader of a town or city. They help make decisions and manage local services. Here are some of the people who served as mayor of Antraigues-sur-Volane:

• Jean Saussac was mayor from 1965 to 1977. He was an artist and helped bring many other artists to the town.
• Michel Beyssade was mayor from 1977 to 2001.
• Michel Pesenti was mayor from 2001 to 2014.
• Gilles Doz was the last mayor from 2014 until the town merged in 2019.

People of Antraigues-sur-Volane

The people who live in Antraigues-sur-Volane are called Antraiguains or Antraiguaines.

The Town Centre

Population Over Time

The number of people living in Antraigues-sur-Volane has changed over many years. Here's how the population has looked:

Age Groups in the Town

The Espace J. Saussac

Compared to the rest of the Ardèche area, Antraigues-sur-Volane has more older people. About 48% of its residents are over 60 years old. This is higher than the average for the whole department, which is about 31%.

Culture and Special Places

A Waterfall at Antraigues in 1907

Buildings and History

• A Tower stands on top of the village hill.
• The Chapel of Saint-Roch is a religious building.
• The Parish Church has several old and important items inside. These include statues of the Virgin Mary, Saint Roch, Saint Philomene, and Saint Jean François Régis. There is also a painting of Saint Bauzille.

Nature and Environment

Antraigues-sur-Volane is part of the Regional Natural Park of Monts d'Ardèche. This park was created to protect the natural environment. The area has special zones called ZNIEFFs. These are important natural areas for plants and animals.

There are two large ZNIEFF areas:

• "Line of the crest of the Mézilhac to the Escrinet Pass"
• "Watersheds of the Volane, the Dorne, and the Bézorgues"

There are also four smaller ZNIEFF areas:

• "Rocks and moors of the volcano forest"
• "Streams of the Volane, the Mas, the Bise, and the Gamondes"
• "Plateau of Pradou and the Field of Mars"
• "Slopes of the Crau volcano"

Panoramic View

A general view of Antraigues-sur-Volane.

Famous People from Antraigues-sur-Volane

A memorial to Jean Ferrat at the entrance of the Antraigues cemetery.

Many notable people have connections to Antraigues-sur-Volane:

• Jean-Louis Giraud Soulavie (1752-1813) was a geologist and diplomat. He was born nearby and became a vicar in Antraigues.
• Jean Ferrat (1930-2010) was a famous French poet and singer. He moved to Antraigues in 1964. The village even inspired his famous song La Montagne (The Mountain). He was an assistant mayor in the 1970s and is buried in the local cemetery.
• Jean Saussac (1922-2005) was a painter and the former mayor of Antraigues. He also worked as a decorator for movies. He was key in bringing many artists to the village.
• Allain Leprest (1954-2011) was a French poet and singer who passed away in Antraigues.

See also

In Spanish: Antraigues-sur-Volane para niños