Joyeuse, Ardèche

Joyeuse (French: [ʒwajøz] ; Occitan: Juèsa) is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southern France, supposedly named for Charlemagne's legendary sword.

Joyeuse Juèsa (Occitan)
Commune
The railway station car park and the D104 road, with the chateau and the church beyond
Coat of arms
Location of Joyeuse
Joyeuse Joyeuse
Coordinates: 44°28′49″N 4°14′19″E
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Ardèche
Arrondissement	Largentière
Canton	Les Cévennes ardéchoises
Intercommunality	Pays Beaume Drobie
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Brigitte Pantoustier
Area 1	13.04 km2 (5.03 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	1,745
• Density	130/km2 (350/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	07110 /07260
Elevation	120–323 m (394–1,060 ft) (avg. 180 m or 590 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Joyeuse lies in the historic region of Bas-Vivarais, in the valley of the Beaume, a tributary of the Ardèche.

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 1,050 —     1800 1,074 +0.32% 1806 1,303 +3.27% 1821 1,607 +1.41% 1831 1,850 +1.42% 1836 2,280 +4.27% 1841 2,351 +0.62% 1846 2,572 +1.81% 1851 2,688 +0.89% 1856 2,686 −0.01% 1861 2,498 −1.44% 1866 2,576 +0.62% 1872 2,520 −0.37% 1876 2,235 −2.96% 1881 2,020 −2.00% 1886 1,974 −0.46% 1891 2,082 +1.07% 1896 2,062 −0.19%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 1,909 −1.53% 1906 1,960 +0.53% 1911 1,877 −0.86% 1921 1,541 −1.95% 1926 1,654 +1.43% 1931 1,648 −0.07% 1936 1,573 −0.93% 1946 1,437 −0.90% 1954 1,251 −1.72% 1962 1,294 +0.42% 1968 1,317 +0.29% 1975 1,293 −0.26% 1982 1,368 +0.81% 1990 1,411 +0.39% 1999 1,483 +0.55% 2007 1,612 +1.05% 2012 1,678 +0.81% 2017 1,721 +0.51%
Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017)

Personalities

See also: Duke of Joyeuse

• Marcus Jallius Bassus, Roman consul, whose tomb is near Joyeuse
• Charlemagne, founder of Joyeuse according to tradition
• Duke Anne de Joyeuse
• Cardinal François de Joyeuse
• Duchess Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse
• la Grande Mademoiselle
• François Boissel

Sights

• The Château de Joyeuse is a classed as a monument historique. An earlier castle was largely destroyed and rebuilt in the 16th century. Today it serves as the mairie.
• The Oratorian college is a monument historique. It was founded by Duchess Henriette in 1617 with the permission of Pope Paul V. It served as an educational institution until the French Revolution. It is now the home of a museum dealing with the cultivation and use of the sweet chestnut, from foodstuffs to furniture.
• The church of Saint Peter, a third monument historique, dates from the eleventh century. The church was reconstructed in the 17th century.
• The hôtel de Montravel was built between the 12th and 14th centuries although the front façade dates from 1775.
• Museums include a museum of local history, the Espace historique et légendaire, and the Maison de la caricature et du dessin d'humour, a museum of caricature.

Twin town

Joyeuse is twinned with Jupille and Vilassar de Dalt.

Gallery

• 
  Château de Joyeuse
• 
  Former college of the Oratorians
• 
  Church of Saint Peter

See also

• Communes of the Ardèche department

External links

• Mairie of Joyeuse
• CPPJ - Culture et Patrimoine en Pays Joyeusain
• Chestnut museum (pays-beaumedrobie.com) at archive.today (archived 2012-09-07)
• Images et textes