Lancrans

Lancrans is a commune in the French department of Ain, in the Rhône -Alpes.

Geography

Lancrans is located at 500 m above sea level. M., about two kilometers north of the town of Bellegarde -sur -Valserine (air line). The village is located in the French Jura on a slope shoulder in the Central Valley of Valserine which opens here against the Rhône valley out over the valley of Bellegarde at the western foot of the Grand Cret d' Eau.

The area of ​​9.66 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the high Jura. The western boundary runs along the Valserine that flows here in a 100 m cut into the environment erosion valley from north to south and in the Perte de la Valserine disappears underground. The valley is surrounded by sheer, traversed some with bands of rock slopes on both sides. From the river, the municipality's area extends eastward to the slope shoulder of Lancrans. This is followed by the wooded escarpment of the eastern Jura ridge connects. The area extends to the broad crest of the Grand Cret d' Eau, on the 1570 m above sea level. M. the highest elevation of Lancrans is achieved. Above about 1400 m above sea level. M. are extensive mountain pastures. The eastern municipality of Lancrans is part of the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut -Jura and the nature reserve Haute Chaîne du Jura.

To Lancrans addition to the actual village also includes various hamlets and farmhouses, namely:

• La Pierre ( 400 m above sea level. M. ) on the eastern flank of the Valserine on the outskirts of Bellegarde
• Balloon ( 510 m above sea level. M. ) on a Verebnungsfläche on the eastern flank of the Valserine
• Grande Côte (580 m above sea level. M. ) on the slope shoulder north of the village

Neighboring communities of Lancrans Confort are in the north, Collonges in the east, Bellegarde- sur -Valserine in the south and Châtillon -en- Michaille in the West.

History

Is first mentioned Lancrans in 1344 under the name Lancrenz. Over time, the spelling on Lancrans ( 1460 ), Lancran ( 1607) and Lancrens (1790) transformed to the present name. The name goes back to the Burgundian personal names Langrid and means together with the suffix -ans as much as the people of Langrid.

In the Middle Ages Lancrans belonged to the dominion of the Château de balloon, which controlled the trade route through the Rhône Valley and the Valley of Valserine. The rule was in possession of the Thoire - Villars arrived in 1329 under the suzerainty of Savoy. For a long time formed Lancrans a large village, which extended over the entire eastern flank of the Valserine at Bellegarde. Only in 1858 were separated and collected for independent communities Confort and Vanchy. The latter is now one of Bellegarde- sur -Valserine.

Attractions

The parish church of Lancrans was rebuilt in the 19th century on the site of an earlier temple, and has a grave stone from the 14th century. Above the village is the chapel of Notre Dame des Graces, which was founded in 1689 and restored in 1974. ( Built in the 12th century) from the medieval castle ruins are preserved balloon. Among the natural attractions include the Pertes de la Valserine, a canyon into which the Valserine crashes with a waterfall and then disappears under the natural bridge Pont des Oules.

Population

With 1046 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Lancrans is one of the small communities of the department of Ain. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century, a continuous population growth was recorded since the early 1980s again.

Economy and infrastructure

Lancrans was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by agriculture and forestry village. Today, there are some establishments of local small businesses. Many working population commuters who engage in the larger towns in the area and mainly in Bellegarde -sur -Valserine their work.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares, but traffic still moderately well developed. Lancrans is located on the secondary road D991 which leads from Bellegarde- sur -Valserine after Mijoux. Further road links exist with Vanchy and Léaz. The nearest links to the A40 motorway is located at a distance of about seven kilometers.