Le Vidalon, business centre, Annonay-Rhône Agglo

Le Vidalon is the business hub for the Annonay-Rhône conurbation, combining coworking facilities, training rooms, a business incubator and a business hotel. Here’s a closer look at this unique facility in the heart of the northern Ardèche, on the banks of the Deûme river.

Have you heard of Vidalon?

A look back at the development of this symbolic and unique site on the banks of the River Deûme on the Davézieux side of the Annonay-Rhône conurbation.

Originally a wheat mill that became a paper mill in the 15th century (written in 1557), Vidalon has been a site of industrial transformation and entrepreneurial innovation for almost 500 years.

In the 21st century, after a period of major restoration and ongoing development work, the Vidalon has become the business hub of the Annonay-Rhône conurbation, with a coworking space, hotel and business incubator.

The former Vidalon industrial site, now a business hub in the Deûme valley

A little history…

Owned byAntoine Chelles and his family since 1689, the factory became the Montgolfier brothers ‘ business from 1702, with the introduction of Dutch cylinders and the invention of Vélin paper in 1777.

The Montgolfier sons became famous for the invention of the first aerostat, the hot-air balloon, which was first tested in Vidalon, before Annonay, the states of Vivarais and then Paris.

It was in Vidalon thatEtienne de Montgolfier began makingdrawing paper, which was later perfected by his son-in-law Barthélémy de Canson, who gave his name to the famous brand known to artists and schoolchildren alike. The factory became royal in 1784 and was rebuilt and expanded in 1815 by the Canson family.

Hot-air balloon over the church of Vidalon and the Deûme valley

A major industrial heritage site in the region and in the Deûme valley, the Vidalon site had lain fallow since the departure and closure of the Canson group’s factories at the end of the last century. Bought by the Annonay-Rhône Conurbation, the former royal factory has now become a business development centre in tune with the times, following several years of renovation work.

The nursery in video

Here’s a video report on the transition from industrial site to business hub:

Report Télà, 2016

Coworking and teleworking

Tested in 2017 at the initiative of the association Territoire en Réseau in partnership with Annonay Rhône Agglo, the space installed in Vidalon offers a shared room connected to fibre optics.

For students, the self-employed, entrepreneurs, freelancers, mobile workers, company founders and teleworkers, this is a friendly third place where you can connect freely in the heart of the northern Ardèche.

Illustration : Aurélie Alléon @etpourquoipasla

Available on site around the shared space:

User-friendlyroom with connected screen
Training and meeting rooms
Internet connection via very-high-speed access (optical fibre)
Meeting area with coffee machine
Fully equipped catering room
Themedevents

To find out more, visit the Annonay-Rhône coworking space information page:

How do I get to the Vidalon business park?

How do you get to Vidalon, the Annonay-Rhône conurbation’s hotel and business incubator in Davézieux, where you can park and take the bus?

Location of Vidalon

There’s no limit to how far you can travel! By road, by bus, by bike and by train to stations in nearby départements.

Where in the Ardècheis Vidalon?

To complete the picture, here are a few routes to Annonay-Rhône in the Ardèche from the 4 points of the compass:

Access to Vidalon

And if you want to continue on foot, by bus, carpool or park your car near the business centre, here is the interactive map of bus stops, footpaths and car parks around Vidalon in Davézieux :