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Sathonay-Camp (Municipality, Rhône, France)

Last modified: 2006-12-23 by ivan sache
Keywords: sathonay-camp | rhone | cross (yellow) |
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[Flag of Sathonay-Camp]

Flag of Sathonay-Camp - Image by Nicolas Deprez, 11 June 2005


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Presentation of Sathonay-Camp

The municipality of Sathonay-Camp (4,339 inhabitants; 194 ha) is located 4 km north-east of Lyon on the plateau separating the valleys of Rhône and Saône.
In the Prehistoric times, the region was covered with ice. In 1879, during the building of a road, workers excavated a 3 m long mammoth defense. According to his biography written by Emperor Napoléon III, Julius Caesar set up in 58 BP a camp in Sathonay, in order to prevent the Helvetians to migrate westwards.

In the XIIIth century, Sathonay was part of the domain of Miribel, owned by Humbert I, the first lord of Dombes, the wet region located east of the Saône. Humbert belonged to the house of Beaujeu (as Humbert V de Beaujeu), allied to the house of France, and was therefore vassal of the King of France. Humbert died in Palestine in 1250 and was succeded by his sister Isabelle de Beaujeu. A few years later, Sathonay was owned by the lords of Sathonay, which were succeeded in the XIVth century by the Ferlay family. The lord of Ferlay was vassal of the Dolphin of Viennois, who offered Sathonay to King of France Philip VI of Valois in 1342; the King exchanged Sathonay with the Duke of Savoy in 1354. When Louis XI fought war against Savoy, his troops sacked Sathonay and the castle of Rivery in 1469. Around 1500, Claude Ferlay bequeathed Sathonay to his three daughters. His grand children sold the domain to Treasurer of France Jacques d'Aveynes, from Lyon. The purchase was done during the French occupation of Dombes (1536-1559); in 1579, Duke Emmanuel-Philibert de Miribel expelled Aveynes and incorporated Sathonay to the Marquisate of Miribel, granted to Henriette of Savoy, the niece of Duke Philibert II, the same year. Sathonay-en-Bresse became a Barony and had several successive owners.

In 1789, Sathonay had 350 inhabitants; the village was incorporated into the department of Ain in 1791. Until the Revolution, a small territory called Franc Lyonnais existed in the region. At the end of the XVth century, a few municipalities asked the protection of the King of France in spite of being located (nominally) in the German Empire; the borders of France, Franc Lyonnais and Savoy were extremely intricated and some enclaves of Franc Lyonnais had less than ten inhabitants. Since the area was fairly poor, nobody really cared.

After the revolution of 1848 and the proclamation of the Second Empire, Napoléon III decided to set up a big garrison in Lyon. Marshal de Castellane (1788-1862) was appointed Military Governor of Lyon and decided to set up a big camp in Sathonay. The first troops settled in June 1853 and the camp was officially inaugurated in 1858. Castellane's successor, General Canrobert, purchased the land previously rented by the Army from the municipality of Sathonay. The area of the camp was then 32 ha. The building of the camp boosted the economy of the village, which had then more than 40 cafés. The railway Sathonay-Lyon Croix Rousse, known as la Galoche, was inaugurated in 1863; a post office was created the same year. In 1885, General Palikao, Commander of the IVth Military Region, proposed to the municipality of Caluire to incorporate the camp of Sathonay, but his proposal was rejected. The camp was visited in 1895 by President Félix Faure, Minister of War General Zurlinden, Minister of the Navy Admiral Besnard and the Mayor of Sathonay; the colonial units were granted their colours, in the presence of General Duchesne, Commander of the Madagascar colonial expedition.
On 4 April 1908, the Senate passed the Law splitting the municipality of Sathonay into Sathonay-Village and Sathonay-Camp. The split was controversial and the last litigation took place on 7 February 1910. The separation was eventually recognized by the State Council in 1918.

The troops of the camp of Sathonay were reviewed in 1914 by General Galliéni, then Military Governor of Lyon. During the First World War, the troops of Sathonay were sent to Alsace and the Vosges; the camp was used for training and resupplying. The camp was occupied by the German army in 1942. After the war, the camp was allocated to the 22nd Infantry Regiment, recreated in 1966 and later renamed 99th Infantry Regiment (October 1968). The Regiment is the remote descendant of the German Regiment of Deux-Ponts, created in 1756 for the service of King of France Louis XV.

Folloming a movement founded in Sweden in 1927, inhabitants of Sathonay formed two Castor (Beaver) groups in 1952 and built together several houses.
Sathonay-Village and Sathonay-Camp were transfered into the department of Rhône in 1968.

Source: Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 11 June 2005


Flag of Sathonay-Camp

The flag of Sathonay-Camp, as shown on the municipal website, seems to be blue with a eight-pointed yellow cross. The municipal website, however, says that the municipal coat of arms is the former coat of arms of the Ferlay family, sable a cross argent.

Nicolas Deprez & Ivan Sache, 11 June 2005