Belley is a commune in the Ain department. It is found in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France and is the capital of the arrondissement of Belley.
History
It was the capital of Bugey (Pagus Bellicensis), a historical region in Ain between Lyon and Geneva.
Geography
Belley has an area of . Its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The distances from Belley to other cities are:
Paris, the national capital - ; Lyon, the regional capital - ; Reims - ; Bordeaux - ; Toulouse - ; Montpellier - ; Strasbourg - ; Nantes - ; Marseille - .
Climate
The climate of Belley, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
Population
The inhabitants of Belley are known, in French, as Belleysans (women: Belleysannes).
Belley has a population, in 2014, of 8,983, and its population density is of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Belley
Administration
Belley is a subprefecture of the Ain department and the capital of the arrondissement of Belley in the same department. It is also the capital of the canton of Belley, formed by 34 communes (24,216 inhabitants) (2014)
It is part of the intercommunality Bugey Sud.
Economy
The local economy is mostly based around commerce. Cheese production is also important. The commune produces a cheese called the Tomme de Belley.
Sites of interest
The most important monuments in the commune are the Saint-Jean-Baptiste cathedral and the Palais Episcopal of Belley, both listed as monuments historiques.