Arpenans

Arpenans is a commune in Haute -Saône in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Arpenans situated at an altitude of 322 m above sea level, 7 km north- west of Villers Exel and about 19 km east of the town of Vesoul (air line). The village is located in the central part of the department, in an elevated position between the valleys of the west and Lauzin Ruisseau de Fondrison in the east, at the northern foot of Mont Gédry.

The area of ​​11.80 km ² municipal area comprises a section in the rolling countryside between the basin of Vesoul in the west and the valley of the Ognon in the east. The central part of the area is occupied by a plateau, which is on average 300 m. In this plateau is the trough of the Ruisseau de Fondrison. Limits the area is to the west by the Alluvialniederung of Lauzin. It has a width of about five kilometers and is 280 m. In the valley there are several ponds. The eastern boundary is marked by the Ruisseau des Pontcey in the alluvial plain of the Ognon. Agricultural land use predominates on the plateau. To the east there are larger areas of forest, including the Bois des Grandes Lochères.

To the north, the municipality's area extends up to the hill of Bois du Fays (330 m). South of the village rises the summit of Mont Gédry, on the 416 meters, the highest point of Arpenans is achieved. In geological- tectonic terms, the terrain is made up mainly of an alternation of sandy- marly and calcareous sediments that were deposited during the Lias ( Lower Jurassic ). The Mont Gédry consists of a resistant limestone layer of the middle Jurassic period.

Neighboring communities of Arpenans are Mollans and Vy- lès -Lure in the North, Les Aynans in the east, and Aillevans Oricourt in the south and Justin Mont -et- Velotte in the West.

History

Remains of wall foundations from the Gallo- Roman period indicate a very early settlement of the area. Is first mentioned Arpenans in 1275 under the name Erpenans. Since 1431 the current spelling is preserved. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. Arpenans was in the 14th century part of the territories of Vy and Arguel. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. Today Arpenans is a member of the 22 localities comprehensive community association Communauté de communes du Pays de Lure.

Attractions

The church of Saint - Valere is originally from the 12th century but was extensively rebuilt in the 18th century. From the previous building of the Romanesque choir and a Gothic chapel remained. Behind the church stands a wrought iron cross from the 18th century. Another attraction is the restored statue of the Vierge du Mont Gédry above the village.

Population

With 245 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Arpenans one of the small towns in the Haute- Saône. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1886 437 people were still counted ), only small fluctuations were recorded since the early 1960s.

Economy and infrastructure

Arpenans was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. Today, there are some establishments of local small businesses, including a dairy business. In recent decades the village has been transformed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village is situated away from the larger passage axes on a secondary road that leads from Mollans to Villers Exel. Further road links exist with Les Aynans and Mont Justin.