during the First World War (1914–1918). It also was the source of the first 500,000 production Model 1891 Mosin–Nagant rifles, as the Russian armament industry could not tool up quickly enough to produce them for the rearmament of the Imperial Russian Army. The facility has now been transformed into the central repository (Centre des Archives de l'Armement et du Personnel) of all the French military archives related to armament matters. Archived and declassified MAC records are open to bona fide scholars and researchers upon written request. Personalities Births Châtellerault was the birthplace of: Aénor de Châtellerault (1103–1130), Duchess of Aquitaine Clément Janequin (c. 1485–1558), composer of the Renaissance Jean Daillé (1594–1670), French Huguenot and Calvinist theologian Charles Sabourin (1849–1920), pulmonologist Gilbert Chinard (1881–1972), author, historian Rodolphe Salis (1851–1897), creator, host and owner of Le Chat Noir ("The Black Cat") Marie-Louise Carven (1909–2015), Fashion Designer, Recipient of the Highest French Civilion Honor, Commander of the Legion of Honor Bernard Panafieu (born 1931), archbishop of Marseille and Cardinal Priest of the Roman Catholic Church Benoît Cauet (born 1969), former footballer Sylvain Chavanel (born 1979) and Sébastien Chavanel (born 1981), professional cyclists Notable residents Édith Cresson (born 1934), French politician Jean-Pierre Thiollet (born 1956), writer Twin towns – sister cities Châtellerault is twinned with: Velbert, Germany, since 1965 Kaya, Burkina Faso, since 1976 Corby, England, United Kingdom, since 1979 Bouctouche, Kent County, New Brunswick, Canada, since 1984 Castellón de la Plana, Spain, since 1987 Hamilton, Scotland, United Kingdom, since 1993 Piła, Poland, since 1994 See also Poitevin language Communes of the Vienne department References External links City council website (in French) Tourist office website Office Tourisme Chatellerault Brief history of the manufacture de Chatellerault Aerial views Communes of Vienne Subprefectures in France Poitou