Bourg-de-Péage

Between the meandering Isère and the morning mountains, a small town has taken root over time, opposite its sister city Romans. The name Bourg-de-Péage derives from the duties levied on merchandise at the southern entrance to the Pont.

Number of inhabitants: 10,080
Area 1371 hectares

The town of Bourg-de-Péage owes its name to the presence of the bridge over the Isère, built in the Middle Ages by the Saint-Barnard Abbey in Romans. To cover its upkeep, the canons levied a feudal duty, known as a toll, on all persons, goods or livestock crossing the bridge.
In addition, Bourg-de-Péage owes its fame to felt hat making (felt obtained from rabbit skins). This tradition was introduced in about 1810 by workers who came from Cognin (38). Despite the laying of the Romans railway line in 1864, which ended the local sourcing of the raw material, and then the 1883 crisis, the activity continued to expand until 1929. At that time, Mossant, a pioneer business in Bourg-de-Péage hat making, employed more than 1200 people.
These days, the town of Bourg-de-Péage is a ("3-flower") town in bloom where new businesses have come to set up shop by developing innovative technologies. The town is also known for the richness of its community life and its cultural, sporting and social fabric.