Culoz

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

Geography

Culoz is located on 247 m above sea level. M. twelve kilometers northeast of Belley and about 33 kilometers north-northwest of the city of Chambéry (air line). The village is located in the southeastern Bugey, in a sheltered hollow on the western edge of the Rhone Valley, at the southern foot of the ridge of the Grand Colombier and at the edge of the vast marshland Marais de Lavours.

The area of ​​19.36 km2 municipal area includes a portion of the Rhone Valley. The Rhone flows in a wide valley from north to south. Your water is divided in the range of Culoz a canal and a broad Altwasserflussbett. The eastern boundary runs approximately in the middle of the valley on the area between the two arms of water Ile de la Malourdie.

To the west, the municipality's area on the broad flat Talniederung and the most densely forested slopes of the Jura to the subsequent ridge of the Grand Colombier extends. Geologically, this ridge forms a anticline consisting of sediments of the upper Jurassic period. Above approximately 1200 m above sea level. M. are vast mountain pastures. With 1443 m above sea level. M. is reached on the southern slopes of the Grand Colombier is the highest elevation of Culoz. To the south of this ridge drops off very steeply, with the slope below the viewpoint Fenestre is crossed by striking rock walls. In the southern section of the municipality spell has Culoz share of the four kilometer wide and six kilometers long area of the Marais de Lavours.

To Culoz addition to the actual site includes various hamlets and farmhouses, including:

  • Landaize (250 m above sea level. M. ) near the Rhone on the eastern foot of the Grand Colombier
  • Châtel (260 m above sea level. M. ) near the Rhone on the eastern foot of the Grand Colombier

Neighboring communities of Culoz are Anglefort in the north, Serrières -en- Chautagne, Ruffieux and Vions in the east, Chanaz, Lavours and Flaxieu in the south and Ceyzérieu, BÃ ©, Chavornay and Virieu -le- Petit in the West.

History

Even in prehistoric times, and during the Roman period the area around Culoz was settled at the foot of the Grand Colombier. Such a consecration inscription to the god Segomo was found. First mentioned is the place in 1135 under the name De Cullo. Over time, the spelling on De Culo, Castrum Culi ( 1413 ) transformed to the present name Culoz occupied since 1536. For later times the names Cule, Culle and Culos have survived. In the 13th century Culoz formed its own government, 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 Saint -Martin was built 1861-1863 in neo-gothic style. At the site of the old village church is now the cemetery chapel, in which the choir of the former church was built in the 12th century. The most important secular building of Culoz is the Château de Montvéran, which was built in 1316 on a hill above the village and restored in 1687. Towards the end of the French Revolution, the former towers were razed. Today's towers were added in the first half of the 19th century in the romantic - historical style. Originally built in the 12th century comes the Chèvrerie, a branch of the Carthusian monastery of Arvières. From the former castle Châtel- d'en Skin few remnants are still preserved.

Population

With 2924 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Culoz belongs to the medium-sized municipalities in the department of Ain. After the population had increased only slightly in the second half of the 20th century, a significant population increase has been recorded since 2000.

Economy and infrastructure

Culoz was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by farming village. Even today the wine to the optimal exposed to the sun plays slopes north of Culoz a role as a source of income for locals. In the plain south of the village, a commercial zone has emerged in recent decades. The main employer based in Culoz is CIAT. There are also some plants of the local small and medium enterprises. Many workers are also commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village region has a quite well developed. It lies on the secondary road that leads from Ambérieu -en- Bugey to Aix -les- Bains. Other regional road links exist with Belley and Seyssel. The nearest links to the A41 motorway is located at a distance of around 25 kilometers. Culoz is on the railway line Lyon -Genève and has a railway station, dating from 1857, whose lobby is partially enrolled as a monument historique. Here branches off the railway line from Culoz - Modane ( about Aix -les- Bains and Chambery to the Italian border at Modane ).

Culoz is the southern starting point of the long-distance route Grande Traversée du Jura.

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