Épinal

Épinal, town in east-central France, capital of Vosges department, near Germany. Épinal lies on the River Moselle in Lorraine. The town rose to fame in the 19th century because of the colourful, humorous images and pictures that were produced there. Depicting folk tales and proverbs, these pictures were a precursor of today's comics. A museum in Épinal is devoted to folk art of all descriptions, from these pictures to stained glass.

Originally named Spinalium, Épinal was established around a 10th-century monastery and church. The church of Saint-Maurice in the town dates from the 11th century and is particularly notable for the variety of building styles used in its construction. The famous sociologist Emile Durkheim was born in Épinal. Population 35,100 (2005 estimate).