Montélimar

Montélimar: Château des Adhémar

Montélimar, town, Drôme département, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes région, southeastern France, lying near the confluence of the Roubion and Rhône rivers, southwest of Valence. It was called Acunum by the Romans and was called Mons Adhemaris or Monteil d’Adhémar (after the local Adhémar [Aimar] family) in medieval times. Part of it was a papal possession from 1340 to 1447. The town was captured by the Huguenots in 1587. Monuments include the Tour de Narbonne (a 14th-century fortress) and the Château des Papes (now a prison). It is an agricultural centre and also has light industry, especially textiles. Pop. (1999) 31,344; (2014 est.) 37,193.