- Oyonnax
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Oyonnax
OyonnaxAdministration Country France Region Rhône-Alpes Department Ain Arrondissement Nantua Intercommunality Oyonnax Mayor Michel Perraut
(2008–2014)Statistics Elevation 440–1,082 m (1,440–3,550 ft)
(avg. 540 m/1,770 ft)Land area1 35.99 km2 (13.90 sq mi) Population2 23,114 (2008) - Density 642 /km2 (1,660 /sq mi) INSEE/Postal code 01283/ 01100 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. Coordinates: 46°15′22″N 5°39′20″E / 46.2561111111°N 5.65555555556°E
Oyonnax (French pronunciation: [ɔjɔna]) is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.
It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.
Contents
Geography
Oyonnax lies in a valley of the Jura Mountains in the far north of Ain.
Population
Historical population of Oyonnax 1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851 1856 1099 1178 1275 1207 1974 2279 2593 2608 3245 3342 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901 1906 3501 3547 3272 3530 3847 4231 4461 4652 6140 7851 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954 1962 9557 10,083 11,617 11,336 10,166 10,156 11,773 14,830 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2008 19,777 23,007 22,739 23,869 24,162 23,114 Economy
Its prominence in the plastics industry has earned it the name Plastics Valley.
Miscellaneous
The town has a cultural centre, including cinemas, concert halls, and a "Museum of the Comb and of the Plastics Industry". Tourist activities include hiking, canoeing and cross-country skiing among the forests, hills and lakes of the area.
Notable people
- Eric Barone (1960- ), sportsman, well known for having beaten the world speed record descending on a bicycle, both on snow and soil.
- Léger-Félicité Sonthonax (1763–1813), politician and abolitionist during the French Revolution
- Paul Collomb (1921- ), painter
Sport
The city has a rugby union team, Oyonnax Rugby.
International relations
Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in FranceTwin towns — Sister cities
Oyonnax is twinned with Eislingen/Fils, Germany since 2001.
See also
References
External links
- Official website (in French)
- Oyonnax tourist office (in French)
- Communauté de communes d'Oyonnax website
- Article about the "Plastics valley"
- 'Plastics vallée' (in French)
- 'Photos of Oyonnax'
Categories:- Communes of Ain
- Ain geography stubs
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