Ballay () is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Grand Est region of northern France.
Geography Ballay is located some 35 km east by south-east of Rethel and 3 km north of Vouziers. Access to the commune is by the D977 road from Vouziers which passes through the centre of the commune and the village and continues north to Quatre-Champs. The D19 road from Quatre-Champs to Vandy forms part of the northern border of the commune. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Claire-Fontaine, Landèves, and La Noue Adam. The commune is mostly forested in the east and west with farmland down the centre.Google Maps
The Aisne river forms the south-western border of the commune as it flows north to eventually join the Oise at Clairoix. The Fournelles flows through the centre of the commune from the north and joins the Aisne on the south-western border. Several tributaries rise in the commune and feed the Fournelles including the Martignère, the Ruisseau du Moulin des Bois, and the Chalan which forms part of the southern border of the commune.
Clairefontaine and Landèves were municipalities in 1790 and merged into Ballay at the end of 1790.
Neighbouring communes and villages
History In the 12th century Ballay was a lordship with a castle and a parish with a church dedicated to Notre-Dame which was an annex to Vandy. An Augustinian Priory, Notre-Dame of Landèves, was founded at Landèves in 1219 by two brother lords of Bally who made it religious. Since its foundation the priory served the parish of Ballay. The priory became an abbey in 1623. The abbey and church were destroyed during the French Revolution.
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 1995 2008 Jean-Luc Payer 2008 2020 Christian Mielcarek 2020 2026 Philippe Thirriard
Demography The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ballayriots or Ballayriottes in French.Le nom des habitants du 08 - Ardennes, habitants.fr
Sites and monuments
The Town Hall/School at Rue Notre-Dame (1925)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Church of Notre-Dame at Rue Notre-Dame (1925)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée A Flour Mill at Landèves (1921)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Flour Mill contains several items that are registered as historical objects: A Separator Machine (20th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Grinding Machine (20th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy A Cleaning Machine (20th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy An Ossberger Hydraulic Turbine (1922)Ministry of Culture, Palissy
See also Communes of the Ardennes department
External links Ballay on the old National Geographic Institute website Ballay on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Balay on the 1750 Cassini Map
References