Romans-sur-Isère (; Occitan: Rumans d'Isèra; Old Occitan: Romans) is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.
Geography
Romans-sur-Isère is located on the Isère, northeast of Valence. There are more than 50,000 inhabitants in the urban area (if the neighboring town of Bourg-de-Péage is included). Romans is close to the Vercors.
Population
Economy
Nuclear fuel manufacture (FBFC, Franco-Belge de Fabrication du Combustible), Framatome subsidiary. Shoe manufacture (including Robert Clergerie)
History
Historian Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie wrote Carnaval de Romans (1980) a microhistorical study, based on the only two surviving eyewitness accounts, of the 1580 massacre of about twenty artisans at the annual carnival in the town. He treats the massacre as a microcosm of the political, social and religious conflicts of rural society in the latter half of the 16th century in France. On 18 July 2017, the town was the end point for Stage Sixteen of the Tour De France. On 4 April 2020, two people were killed and five wounded in a knife attack, in what the interior minister called a terrorist incident. Prosecutors said the suspect was a Sudanese refugee in his 30s who lived in the town.
Sights
Collegiate Church of Saint-Barnard
International Museum of Footwear
Tower of Jacquemart clock
Twin towns - sister cities
Romans-sur-Isère is twinned with:
Coalville, England, United Kingdom
Corsano, Italy
Straubing, Germany
Varese, Italy
Zadar, Croatia
Zlín, Czech Republic
Notable people
Hippolyte Charles (1773-1837), lover of Joséphine Bonaparte
Robert Clergerie, shoe designer
Érik Comas (1963-), former Formula One driver
Pierre Latour (1993-), cyclist
Jules Nadi (1872-1928), former mayor and councilor who did much to develop the city Baptiste Reynet, professional footballer Philippe Saint-André, rugby player and national team coach Thomas Arthur, Comte de Lally, general of Irish Jacobite ancestry