Battrans

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

Geography

Battrans situated at an altitude of 201 m above sea level, 4 km southeast of Gray and about 36 km northwest of the city of Besançon (air line). The village is located in the southwest of the department, at the edge of the plain of Gray, by the stream Dhuys southeast of the Talniederung the Saône on the northern edge of the Forêt des Hauts -Bois.

The area of ​​5.32 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the rolling countryside of south-east of the Saône. From southeast to northwest, the area is crossed by the valley of Dhuys, which provides for the drainage of the Morte Saône. On both sides of this Talniederung a plateau expands, which is on average 215 m. It is primarily used for agricultural purposes. In the south, the municipality area extends to the edge of the great forest area of ​​the Forêt des Hauts -Bois. With 239 m find the highest mountains of Battrans is achieved. The eastern boundary runs in the Bois de Belle Combe ( to 233 m). In geological terms, the base of Battrans consists of an alternation of sandy- marly and calcareous beds of the Tertiary and Upper Jurassic time.

Neighboring communities of Battrans are Ancier in the north, Velesmes - Échevanne in the east, the south and Cresancey Gray in the West.

History

Is first mentioned Battrans in 1133 under the name Balterens. The place name is probably derived from personal names Balterius and means as much as the people of Balterius. The area was made ​​by the monks of the monastery Corneux arable. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. The town was sacked in 1361 and devastated by the Routiers. In 1630 Battrans was hit by a plague epidemic. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. In the 19th century, iron ore was mined at Battrans and smelted in a blast furnace. During the Franco-German War the town was in 1870 the scene of a battle between the French and the Prussians.

Attractions

The church of Saint -Pierre -et -Saint- Paul, which originally dates from the 13th century, was restored in 1833. It houses a wooden crucifix (15th century) and an altar and a pulpit from the 18th century. Additional area attractions include the rectory, the Mairie ( Municipal House ), the Lavoir and the 1970 scale pond in a large park ( arboretum with 300 species of trees ).

Population

With 231 inhabitants (2007 ) Battrans one of the small towns in the Haute- Saône. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1891 207 persons were still counted ), a continuous population growth was recorded since the mid-1970s again. Since then, the population has more than doubled.

Economy and infrastructure

Battrans has long been a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) embossed village. Today there are various businesses of the local small business sector. In recent decades the village has been transformed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who engage in Gray and the other major towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village is situated away from the larger passage axes, but is easily accessible from the main road D67, which runs from Gray to Besançon. Further road links exist with Ancier and Velesmes - Échevanne.