La Côte-Saint-André, Isere, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

La Côte-Saint-André is a French commune located in the department of Isère, in the district of Vienne, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The small town is generally presented as the main economic and cultural center of the micro-region of Bièvre and the plain of Liers. This town, which has many historical monuments, is the birthplace of French composer and conductor Hector Berlioz, as well as the seat of the Berlioz Festival, created in his honor and which takes place every year, with the main concerts taking place in the courtyard of the Château de La Côte-Saint-André.

The city has many buildings presenting an architecture of the eleventh, sixteenth and nineteenth centuries such as the Louis XI castle, the church or the Halles. The plain once covered with forests and groves now offers an open landscape. City of architecture and history, La Côte-Saint-André is also an important commercial, educational and administrative center. It has many assets that make it a place where it is certainly “good to live”. It has the charm of a small town in the countryside, preserved environment, quality green spaces, proximity to services…

History
The Côte-Saint-André, capital of Bièvre, occupies a median geographical location between the metropolitan areas of Lyon and Grenoble to which it is linked by a road network which places it within an hour’s journey from each of the two agglomerations. The town’s name comes from “Santi Andréa da Costa”, which first appeared on documents in the Middle Ages.

Prehistory and Antiquity
The protohistoric period is marked by the presence of a remarkable cult chariot, discovered in 1888 in a tumulus at a place called Rival . Composed of four massive bronze wheels of the end of the Bronze Age (viii th century BC.) Reused Early Iron Age (vii th century BC.) With a large bucket and a bronze sheet basin of origin from northern Italy. It is today presented at the Gallo-Roman Museum of Fourvière in Lyon.

At the beginning of Antiquity, the territory of the Allobroges extended over most of the countries which would later be called Sapaudia (this “land of fir trees” became Savoy) and north of Isère. The Allobroges, like many other Gallic peoples, are a “confederation”. In fact, the Romans gave, for convenience the name of Allobroges to all the Gallic peoples living in the civitate (city) of Vienna, to the west and south of Sapaudia.

Middle Ages
At the start of the Middle Ages, the city of La Côte was attached to the County of Vienne, stronghold of the Kingdom of Burgundy, from Pagus Viennensis (known as Viennese), a Carolingian territorial subdivision headed by a count-governor.

This city, relatively old, has many buildings of architecture of the xi th, xvi th and xix th centuries as the castle Louis XI, church or the Hall of La Côte-Saint-André. The formerly covered lowland forests and groves offer the xxi th century an open landscape.

Contemporary period
The Côte-Saint-André was called La Côte-Bonne-Eau during the brief period of secularization of toponyms, during the French Revolution. Contrary to popular belief, it was not La Côte-Saint-André but Saint-Siméon-de-Bressieux which was called La Côte-Marat.

Since the xviii th century, the town hall is the place where the municipal seat body. This building is located north of Les Halles. The municipal body of the city sits from 1863 to the current town hall.

In 1899, the West Dauphiné Tramways Company built a metric gauge tram line which for more than 35 years would link the small town of La Côte-Saint-André to the town of Grand-Lemps where the station of the line Lyon – Grenoble. This line will definitively cease its activity on 1 st August 1935.

Heritage Tours
Developed in 2009, the “In the footsteps of Jongkind” circuit offers you to explore the valley of the Bourbre and the plain of the Bièvre through the work of the Dutch painter. From Place Berlioz, wander through the small streets of the city and discover a Jongkind “animal friend” and close to the little people. The circuit then joins the GR65 and passes through the Saint-André church and the Villa Beauséjour which housed its workshop; Punctuated by admirable views over the Bièvre plain, the route joins the cemetery and ends in front of the Balbins chapel.

Religious heritage

Saint-André church
This church Romanesque located in the heart of the city was built between 1088 and 1102, and rebuilt several times until the xix th Century. Romanesque, Gothic and modern styles therefore coexist. The oldest part is undoubtedly the crossing of the transept with its dome on horns, but the archaeological study of the building remains to be done. The church is listed as a historical monument by decree ofFebruary 5, 1982.

Saint-Camille church
The Saint-Camille church was built in the nineteenth century on the initiative of Camille Rocher, who wanted to make it the heart of a phalanstery for the workers of his distillery (a project that ultimately never saw the light of day). The church is now abandoned and belongs to an individual. The presbytery is being restored with a view to renting apartments, as well as the church itself. The spire of the bell tower was destroyed by fire in 2005 and has so far only been the subject of temporary restoration.

Bonnevaux Abbey
It was an abbey Cistercian (7 th daughter of Cistercian) between Saint-Jean-de-Bournay and La Côte-Saint-André, in Isère (France). Founded in 1117, it was sold as a stone quarry around 1830.

Civil heritage

The Hall of La Côte-Saint-André
Dating back to the end of the xiii th century, the hall still houses the market on Thursday morning. Regularly maintained, it is subject to registration as historical monuments by decree ofApril 23, 1925.

The castle known as Louis XI
Located on the heights of the city that it overlooks, and embellished by pretty effects of light (particularly at sunset) which makes it unmissable, this castle is open to public visits and in particular the Le Paradis du Chocolat Museum, which has elected domicile as well as the municipal music school. Like every year, the Berlioz Festival also takes place there. The staircase, with its cage and its baluster banister, the fireplace on the ground floor and the room known as Louis XI are the subject of a classification as historical monuments by decree of theMarch 21, 1983. The Château is owned by the municipality.

The Croisettes castle
This castle, often referred to as the Domaine des Croisettes, was built from 1892 and features an Italian-style park designed by the landscape architect Gabriel Luizet. The facades, roofs, hall, staircase and park of the Domaine des Croisettes are subject to partial registration by decree of theDecember 12, 1997.

The Berlioz farm
La Ferme du Chuzeau, called Farm Berlioz and built in the xix th century, belonged to the family of Hector Berlioz. The orchard, the pavilion, the stable, the drinking trough, the stake and the stable are the subject of an inscription under the historical monuments by decree of theSeptember 25, 2003.

The war memorial
This monument was made by the sculptor and athlete Alexandre Maspoli (Geneva, 1875 – Caluire-et-Cuire (Rhône), 1943) and by J. Lesage. The monument was built in 1922 and inaugurated onAugust 6of the same year. The composition is rich in symbolism (rooster, hairy, war cross, palms of peace) and recalls the work of women during the war. The sculptures are in bronze and limestone from Villebois. At the time the cost was 33,335 francs. We find the “hairy” of the monument of La Côte Saint-André on the monument of Avenières (Isère). The war memorial is listed as a historical monument by decree of1 st April 2003 and labeled “Heritage xx th century” Isère.

Hotel de Bocsozel
From the xvi th century, located in the Place de la Halle. The facades and roofs of the Hôtel de Bocsozel are listed as historical monuments by order of theApril 23, 1981.

City Hall
The staircase which gives on the courtyard and the gallery in return are the subject of an inscription under the historical monuments by decree of the October 3, 1983.

The birthplace of Berlioz (Museum)
At 69, rue de la République, it is classified as historical monuments by decree of February 24, 1942. The house is now a museum (inaugurated in 1935) dedicated to the composer Hector Berlioz.

The Rival chalet
Labeled Heritage in Isère.

The other buildings
Various houses from the village date from the xvi th century or the Middle Ages. Some are remarkable for their half-level structure, typical of the Dauphiné, in particular the one located at 19, rue Laval de Bressieux, between the place de la Halle and the castle. You can also discover the following other houses:

Maison de La Côte-Saint-André at 9 and 11, rue Centrale:
The portal, which overlooks the street, including the canopy and wings of the house from the xvii th century are the subject of a partial registration under the Historic Monuments by order ofDecember 31, 1979.
La Côte-Saint-André building at 22, place de la Halle and building, rue du Château, formerly rue du Lion d’Or:
It dates from the xvi th century. The facades and roofs are partially registered as historical monuments by order of theMarch 14, 1977.

Cultural heritage

The Museum of liquors Cherry Rocher:
Museum with an amazing collection of old posters and labels late xix th century. You can also see the old distillery with its copper stills.

Hector Berlioz’s birthplace:
Recently renovated as a departmental museum, this charming house is open to visitors. She received inMay 2011the Maisons des Illustres label.

Le Paradis du Chocolat Museum:
Museum founded by a family of chocolate makers in 1994, is located in the Château Louis XI. La Chocolaterie Jouvenal has been in existence since 1912, and has been passed down from father to son.

Municipal music school.
The Municipal Music School is a municipal music education service open to children, adolescents and adults, The Municipal Music School is an actor in local cultural life: organization of concerts, master classes, etc.

Traditions and festivals

Berlioz Festival
Hector Berlioz, French composer, writer and critic, was born December 11, 1803 in La Côte-Saint-André and died March 8, 1869 in Paris. A symphonic music festival is dedicated to him every year at La Côte Saint-André towards the end of August.

Green spaces and flowers
In march 2017, the municipality confirms the level “a flower” in the competition of towns and villages in bloom, this label rewards the flowering of the municipality for the year 2016.