Coligny (Ain)

Coligny is a commune with 1160 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the Ain department in the Franche -Comté; it is part of the arrondissement Bourg -en- Bresse, is the capital of the Canton of Coligny and the seat of the Municipal Association of Canton de Coligny.

Geography

Coligny is located about 20 kilometers north of Bourg -en- Bresse, 40 kilometers south of Lons -le- Saunier on the border of the Jura department, and is crossed by the N 83. The east of the city adjacent to the first hills of the Revremont, the west by the level of Bresse.

History

The place name is a slightly altered Latin Colonia. In later French texts one finds the names Colloignie, Colognie, Colligny, Coligni etc.

Coligny is known because of the Celtic calendar of Coligny, who comes from the 2nd century. It is the longest Celtic inscription ( in Latin letters ), which has been preserved, and has contributed much to the understanding of the Celtic language, knowledge of the Celts to the astronomy and their calendar. Another discovery that was made around the same time as the calendar, is a bronze statue, the Dieu de Coligny.

One of the first lords of Coligny was I. Manasseh in the 10th century, the progenitor of the Coligny family. The rule of Coligny was divided in the 12th century in Coligny -le- Vieil and Coligny -le- Neuf and only reunited in 1550. After owning long belonged to the Savoy, Coligny -le- Neuf in 1601 became French by the Treaty of Lyon, while Coligny -le- Vieil remained for Free County of Burgundy, which was subordinate to the King of Spain at the time, and under Louis XIV to France came. 1648 Coligny -le- Neuf was elevated to a duchy and peerage

Demographics

Attractions

• The church of Saint -Martin ( in the list of Monuments historiques ).

Personalities

• Joseph Darnand (1897-1945), a French right-wing politician, born in Coligny