Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez

Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez
The bridge at Vérines, in Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez The bridge at Vérines, in Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez
Coat of arms of Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez Coat of arms
Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez
Location within Rhône-Alpes region Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Loire
Arrondissement	Montbrison
Canton	Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert
Intercommunality	Loire Forez
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Michel Berger
Area1	31.09 km2 (12.00 sq mi)
Population (1999)2	3,373
• Density	110/km2 (280/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	42256 / 42680
Elevation	379–640 m (1,243–2,100 ft) (avg. 407 m or 1,335 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez is a commune in the Loire department in central France.

History

Saint Marcellin Forez is at an ancient crossroads between Burgundy and Velay, on the highway from the Forez Montbrison toward the only bridge known in the south of the Loire, which was at St. Rambert.

The origins of the city date back to the early Middle Ages. The earliest written reference to the town dates from 984, but a treasure of about 500 4th-century coins (discovered in 1884) indicates an even earlier settlement.

The parish church is mentioned in 1225 and the town's fortifications in 1286. The town is surrounded by a double ring of ramparts of the thirteenth century and the fifteenth century, which gives it a solid appearance. The fortifications are pictured in William Revel's armorial (1450).

The old town, topped by a high tower, was a defensive structure that withstood repeated assaults. St Marcellin was the stronghold of the Counts of Forez, who had their castle within its walls. It then passed to the Dukes of Bourbon, then was annexed to the kingdom of France without ever having been conquered.

Twin towns

Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez is twinned with:

• Marta, Lazio, Italy

See also

• Communes of the Loire department

References

• INSEE commune file