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Roche-sur-Yon, La

Roche-sur-Yon, La (lä rôsh-sür-yôN) [key], city (1990 pop. 48,518), capital of Vendée dept., W France, on the Yon River. A transportation and agricultural trade center, it also has industries producing automobile parts and other light manufactures. Founded in 1804 by Napoleon I as a town for non-Royalists, it was first named Napoléon-Vendée; under the Restoration (1814–48) it was called Bourbon-Vendée.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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