ROANNE

town, Loire dpartement, Rhne-Alpes region, east central France, headquarters of an arrondissement, on the Loire River. Founded in the Romano-Gallic age, it was originally called Rodumna. The 11th-century castle-donjon is the only surviving remnant of its ancient castle. The centre of the town is the Carrefour Helvtique (Helvetian Crossroads). The Lyce Jean Puy occupies the former 17th-century Jesuit college. The town is located 40 mi (64 km) west-northwest of Lyon at a junction of railroad lines and roads and at a terminus of the Canal de Roanne Digoin. It is an important commercial and industrial centre. The gorges of the Loire are 2 mi (3 km) south, and the scenic Monts de la Madeleine are a few miles west. The town's traditional industries (hatmaking, textile, machine tooling, and metal industries) are supplemented by synthetic fabrics, armoured vehicles, paper, and rubber tires. Pop. (1982) 48,574.