Lorette, Loire

Lorette
Coat of arms
Lorette
Location within Rhône-Alpes region  Lorette
Coordinates: 45°30′46″N 4°34′55″E / 45.5128°N 4.5819°ECoordinates: 45°30′46″N 4°34′55″E / 45.5128°N 4.5819°E
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Loire
Arrondissement	Saint-Étienne
Canton	La Grand-Croix
Intercommunality	Communauté d'agglomération Saint-Étienne Métropole
Government
• Mayor (2001–2008)	Gérard Tardy (DLR)
Area^1	3.41 km^2 (1.32 sq mi)
Population (1999)^2	4,843
• Density	1,400/km^2 (3,700/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	42123 / 42420
Elevation	257–500 m (843–1,640 ft) (avg. 280 m or 920 ft)
^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.

Lorette is a commune in the Loire department in central France, in the Gier valley.

Geography

Lorette lies in the valley of the Gier, a coal mining region, on the south bank of the Giers just east of La Grand-Croix. The Dorlay river, a tributary of the Gier that rises in Mont Pilat, defines the west border of the commune.^[1]

History

The region was developed in the 19th century for coal mining. In 1830 the Jackson brothers (Frères Jackson) built a steel works at Assailly in what is now the north of Lorette. As a result of a merger, in 1854 this became part of the Compagnie des Hauts-fourneaux, forges et aciéries de la Marine et des chemins de fer, based in Rive-de-Gier.^[2] Lorette was created on 27 April 1847 in response to the development of the steelworks, particularly that of the Jackson Brothers. It includes the old quarters of the municipalities of Saint-Paul-en-Jarez, Saint-Genis-Terrenoire (now Genilac), Rive-de-Gier and Farnay.

Churches

Lorette has two places of worship. Notre Dame, located in the bottom of the town, was completely renovated a few years ago. It is a very light church, since the stained glass has been replaced by large windows. Only two stained glass windows remain above the choir. Currently, it is mainly used in large masses and ceremonies. The John XXIII chapel is located on the main street of the town, just down the road. Shaped as a theater, the choir of the chapel is at the bottom of the steps in a pit. It is used every Sunday for mass.

Demographics

In 2010 the municipality had 4,498 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known throughout the population censuses conducted in the town since 1793. A reform of the census allows the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (INSEE) to publish annually the official population of communes from 2006. For Lorette, a town with less than 10,000 inhabitants, censuses are held every five years.^[3] The official populations of the years 2008, 2013, 2018 correspond to comprehensive census.^[4] As of 2008 the population was 4,451.

Notable people

• Étienne Rival born 15 November 1855 - Priest
• Alain Prost born 24 February 1955 at the clinique Les Berceaux - 4-time Formula One champion
• Michel Corringe died at Lorette le 2 October 2001 - Singer
• Jean Delay born at Lorette 19 October 1879 - Bishop of Marseille

See also

• Communes of the Loire department

References

1. CESAME (March 2010). "Prélèvements et gestion quantitative de la ressource sur le bassin versant du Gier Phase 1" (PDF). Saint-Etienne Metropole. p. 6. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
2. "Compagnie des forges et aciéries de la Marine et d’Homécourt" (PDF). Société anonyme Creusot-Loire. 16 December 1971. p. 2. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
3. "Le recensement de la population en bref". le site de l'Insee. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
4. "Calendrier de recensement des communes de la Loire". Insee. Retrieved 8 August 2013.