Brénaz

Brénaz is a municipality with a population of 92 (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the French department of Ain ​​, in the Rhône -Alpes.

Geography

Brénaz is located on 690 m, about 21 kilometers north of the town of Belley (air line). The farming village extends in the southeastern Bugey, a scenic location on a Verebnungsfläche in the valley of the Valromey, at the western foot of the Hergues, a Jura chain, which belongs to the ridge of the Grand Colombier.

The area of ​​9.79 km ² municipal area comprises a portion of Valromey. The Valromey forms a broad valley between two high, oriented in north-south direction Jura ridges. The western municipal boundary runs along the creek the breeze, which drains the area south to Arvière. From the breeze, the municipality's area extends eastward across the plateau of Brénaz and the subsequent densely forested steep slope down to the Hergues, on the 1425 m the highest peak of Brénaz is achieved. The eastern boundary is marked by the main ridge of the expiring from Grand Colombier to the north ridge, which, however, is lower than the Hergues with 1363 m. There is an inlier between the two ridges.

To Brénaz addition to the actual site includes various hamlets and farmhouses, namely:

• Boirin (700 m ) southeast of the village then
• Méraléaz (750 m) on the western slope of the Hergues
• Larnin (760 m) on the western slope of the Hergues

Neighboring communities of Brénaz are Songieu in the north, Corbonod in the east, the south and Lochieu Champagne -en- Valromey in the West.

History

The parish Méraléaz with their former church of Saint Vincent in 1150 was mentioned for the first time since she was dutiable the Carthusian Chartreuse d' Arvières in neighboring Lochnieu. In 1605, St. Francis de Sales moved the parish after Brénaz, whereupon there the present village of Saint Martin Church was built. Since the Middle Ages Brénaz was under the suzerainty of the Counts of Savoy. The Treaty of Lyon reached the village in 1601 to France.

Attractions

The village church of Brénaz dates from the early 17th century.

Population

With 92 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Brénaz is one of the smallest municipalities of the department of Ain. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century, the population remains at an approximately constant level since the early 1970s.

Economy and infrastructure

Brénaz was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by farming village. Even today, the inhabitants live mainly from the activity in the first sector. Some employed persons are also commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares on a secondary road that leads from Arte Mare via Brénaz on the Col de Richemond. Further road links exist with Champagne -en- Valromey and over the ridge of the Hergues with Corbonod in the Rhone valley (open only in summer).