Vieu
Vieu is a commune in the French department of Ain, in the Rhône -Alpes.
Geography
Vieu is located at 520 m above sea level. Level, about 16 kilometers north of the town of Belley (air line). The farming village extends in the southeastern Bugey, a scenic location on a sloping plateau to the south in the valley of Valromey, between the mountain ranges of the plan agate in the west and the Grand Colombier in the east.
The area of 6.34 km ² municipal area comprises a portion of Valromey. The Valromey forms a broad valley between two high Jura ridges. In this valley the river Séran is deepened, runs along the western boundary of the municipality. From the river, the municipality's area extends eastward across the plateau of Vieu and also cut valley of Arvière to the east adjoining plateau at the foot of the Grand Colombier. In a short tributary of the Arvière is the karst spring of the Groin. This intermittent source of Vaucluse - type has the time of snow melt and after prolonged rainfall on a strong fill, but dries up completely during dry periods. In the south the boundary is above the steep drop to the valley basin of Arte Mare. With 540 m above sea level. M. is reached on the plateau above Vieu the highest point of the municipality.
To Vieu addition to the actual site includes various hamlets and farmhouses, namely:
- Don (350 m above sea level. M. ) in the Valley of Arvière above Arte Mare
- Pont (360 m above sea level. M. ) in the Valley of Arvière above Arte Mare
- Vaux- Chernomorets (390 m above sea level. M. ) in the narrow valley of the Arvière
- Linod ( 445 m above sea level. M. ) on the plateau between the valleys of Séran and Arvière
- Chongnes ( 475 m above sea level. M. ) on the plateau between the valleys of Séran and Arvière
Neighboring communities of Vieu are Champagne -en- Valromey in the north, Virieu -le- Petit and Chavornay in the east, and Talissieu Arte Mare in the south and Belmont- Luthézieu in the West.
History
The territory of Vieu was inhabited very early. In Chongnes there was a Roman settlement, which was destroyed in the 4th century. During excavations the remains of an aqueduct, of baths and a temple were found. According to an inscription, the settlement was called Venetonimagienses.
Only in the Middle Ages, the town appears again in the records, namely as Vyu in 1267th In the course of time, changed the spelling on Viuz ( 1345 ), Vicomagus ( Latinized ) Viomi ( 1460 ) to the present name Vieu, the 1634 first written is occupied.
In the Middle Ages Vieu belonged to the rule of Valromey, which was under the suzerainty of the Counts of Savoy. The Treaty of Lyon reached the village in 1601 to France.
Attractions
The Parish Church de l' Assomption built in the 12th century on the ruins of the Roman Temple and one of the oldest churches in the region. In the construction of parts of Roman pillars are integrated; the polygonal choir dates from the 16th century. In the village are old houses from the 16th to 18th centuries have been preserved, including the Maison Rolland and the Maison de Brillat -Savarin. In Chongnes is the Chapelle de l' Adoue, which was built in 1670. The chapel Notre- Dame-de- Popolo in the hamlet Don was built in 1862. Among the natural attractions of Vieu counts the karst spring of the Groin.
On a hill above Arte Mare, perched as a monument historique enrolled Château de Machuraz from between 1875 and 1889. The castle is similar in ground plan of a castle from the 16th century, which replaced a medieval predecessor at this point and during the Revolution was burnt down.
Château de Machuraz
Entrance to the Roman aqueduct in Vieu
Population
With 380 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Vieu 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 slight population growth was recorded since the mid- 1980s again.
Economy and infrastructure
Vieu was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by farming village. In addition, there are today some of the local small business enterprises. Meanwhile, the village has changed thanks to the lovely position into a residential community. Many working population 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, leading from Arte Mare to Champagne -en- Valromey. Further road links exist with Belmont- Luthézieu and Virieu -le- Petit.