Joseph Giray
1864–1939Roman-catholic archbishop (1864-1939)
Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
At the top of the list is the Roman-Catholic archbishop Joseph Giray, covered in 3 languages. The list has one more: the French ventriloquist Marc Métral. A short trip away, Annonay (9 mi) counts 35 famous people, Auguste Bravais among them. The earliest on the list is Joseph Giray, born in 1864, and the youngest Marc Métral, born in 1953.

Roman-catholic archbishop (1864-1939)
#2French ventriloquist
Clergy and people of faith are the most numerous, 1 of them.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed in French towns. Tap a field to see its people.
The fullest list close by belongs to Annonay, with 35.
Saint-Vallier · 9 miOlivier Milloud & 10 more
Roussillon · 4 miAlfred Poizat & 5 moreWPSaint-Rambert-d'Albon · 2 miWilfride Piollet & 3 moreBBAnneyron · 4 miBlanche Balain & 1 more
Davézieux · 7 miÉtienne Montgolfier & 1 moreJDLe Péage-de-Roussillon · 4 miJean-Baptiste DufeuPTSaint-Maurice-l'Exil · 6 miPierre de TarentaiseJoseph Giray (Roman-catholic archbishop (1864-1939)) is the best known by our measure: 3 Wikipedia and sister-site articles in different languages. Next come Marc Métral.
2 people born in Chanas have a French Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace (and an English one that agrees, when there is one).
Among its famous people, clergy and people of faith: 1 of the 2. That is 50% of the town’s list, against 3% across French towns.
Joseph Giray, born in 1864. The youngest on the list was born in 1953.
People whose Wikidata birthplace is Chanas itself, matched by its INSEE code (a commune merged into it counts when the dates allow), whose French Wikipedia article agrees, and their English article too when they have one. A hospital or neighbourhood recorded without its commune isn’t matched. People who only lived here, adult performers and people known mainly for crimes aren’t listed.
Their Wikidata birthplace may be a hospital, a neighbourhood or a wider area, another commune, or missing, or their articles may not name a birthplace. We only list people the sources agree on; editing Wikidata or Wikipedia changes this page at the next refresh.
From Wikidata (CC0: birthplaces, descriptions, years, occupations, how many Wikipedia and sister-site articles cover each person) and French and English Wikipedia (each person’s articles confirm the birthplace; linked, not quoted). Birthplaces are matched to the commune by INSEE code and its history of mergers (INSEE COG 2026). Ranked by the number of articles. Fields are read from Wikidata’s description and occupations. “The usual town”: everyone listed across French towns. Portraits: each person’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the license below (our copy, resized).
Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.