Couthenans

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

Geography

Couthenans situated at an altitude of 338 m above sea level, 3 km northwest of Héricourt and about 11 km southwest of the town of Belfort ( a straight line ). The village is located in the western part of the Burgundian Gate, in the Talniederung the Ruisseau de la Carpière at the northern foot of the Grand Bois.

The area of ​​1.64 km ² municipal area includes a portion in the Burgundian Gate. The central part of the area is traversed in a northwest-southeast direction from the Talniederung the Ruisseau de la Carpière, which has a width of about one kilometer. It opens to the Southeast to the Lizaine pool, which is filled with sediments, so-called alluvium of the Quaternary. This trough is flanked to the south by ridges of Grand Bois, which consists of a resistant limestone layer of the middle Jurassic period and on the 480 m, the highest elevation of Couthenans is achieved. To the north, the municipality's area extends to the edge of the large forest, Bois de Granges.

Neighboring communities of Couthenans are Luze the north and east, the south and Héricourt Coisevaux in the West.

History

Is first mentioned Couthenans in 1257th It belonged to the possession of the Abbey of Lure. In 1290, she came to the Duke of Burgundy, and was then the reign Étobon, later the reign Héricourt under the suzerainty of the Counts of Montbéliard assumed. 1519 and 1635 and in 1653 the village was looted and burned. Couthenans, which was until then under the suzerainty of the principality of Montbéliard, arrived in 1748 contracted definitively to the French crown. Since 2001 Couthenans is a member of the comprehensive 20 villages municipal association Communauté de communes du Pays d' Héricourt.

Attractions

The Church of Couthenans was built in the 17th century and modified in the 19th century. On the Place de la Fraternité at the community house is a remarkable round fountain with two basins, which was designed in 2005 by architect Regnier.

Population

With 793 inhabitants ( 2004) Couthenans one of the small towns in the Haute- Saône. Once the population has consistently had in the first half of the 20th century in the area of ​​310-350 people, a strong population growth was recorded especially during the 1970s.

Economy and infrastructure

Couthenans has long been a by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) embossed village. In addition, there are now several companies of local small businesses, especially in the wood processing and in precision engineering. Meanwhile, the village has also changed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who do their work in Héricourt and in the agglomerations Belfort and Montbéliard.

The village has good transport links. It lies on the main road D438 which leads from Belfort to Lure, and the four-lane expansion is in progress. The nearest links to the A36 motorway is located at a distance of about 12 km. Further road links exist with Villersexel Luze and Chagey.