Joyeuse, Ardèche

Joyeuse
Joyeuse
	Commune
	The railway station car park and the D104 road, with the chateau and the church beyond
	Coat of arms
	Location of Joyeuse
	Joyeuse Joyeuse
	Coordinates: 44°28′49″N 4°14′19″E / 44.4803°N 4.2386°E
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Ardèche
Arrondissement	Largentière
Canton	Les Cévennes ardéchoises
Intercommunality	Pays Beaume Drobie
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Bernard Saison
Area 1	13.04 km2 (5.03 sq mi)
Population (Jan. 2017)	1,721
• Density	130/km2 (340/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	07110 /07260
Elevation	120–323 m (394–1,060 ft) ; (avg. 180 m or 590 ft)
	1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Joyeuse (Occitan: Juèsa) is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southern France.

Geography

Joyeuse lies in the historic region of Bas-Vivarais, in the valley of the Beaume, a tributary of the Ardèche.

Historical population

The Château de Joyeuse is a classed as a monument historique. An earlier castle was largely destroyed and rebuilt in the 16th century. Today it serves as the mairie.
The Oratorian college is a monument historique. It was founded by Duchess Henriette in 1617 with the permission of Pope Paul V. It served as an educational institution until the French Revolution. It is now the home of a museum dealing with the cultivation and use of the sweet chestnut, from foodstuffs to furniture.
The church of Saint Peter, a third monument historique, dates from the eleventh century. The church was reconstructed in the 17th century.
The hôtel de Montravel was built between the 12th and 14th centuries although the front façade dates from 1775.
Museums include a museum of local history, the Espace historique et légendaire, and the Maison de la caricature et du dessin d'humour, a museum of caricature.