Épenouse

Épenouse is a commune in the French department Doubs in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Épenouse is located on 660 m above sea level, 8 km northeast of Valdahon and about 28 km east of the city of Besançon (air line). The village is located in the Jura, in the eastern part of the plateau of Valdahon, called the first plateau of the Jura Mountains, south of the Audeux Valley and the Bay of Orsans.

The area of ​​5.75 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the French Jura. The main part of the area is occupied by only weakly in relief plateau Valdahon, which is on average 650 m. It is predominantly of arable and meadow land, partly also passed by forest. At the height Épenouse at the highest point of the municipality is achieved with 672 m. To the south, the municipality's area extends over the plateau up to the edge of the vast forests Forêt du Chanois and Les Anglars. The boundaries of the plateau of Épenouse the west by the valleys of the headwaters of the Audeux, in the north and east of the Valley of the Creuse (right tributary of the Audeux ). These valley systems are each recessed approximately 60 to 100 m into the surrounding plateau.

Neighboring communities of Épenouse are Bremondans in the north, Villers- Chief and Eysson in the east, Vercel - Villedieu -le-Camp to the south and Belmont on the west.

History

In the Middle Ages Épenouse belonged to the rule Vercel. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 to France. In the 18th century was a blast furnace in operation here. Since 1998 Épenouse is a member of the 44- villages municipal association Communauté de communes du Pays de Pierre Fontaine - Vercel.

By January 1, 2009 there was a change in the membership of the district municipality. So far, belonging to the district Besançon, all municipalities in the canton came to the district Pontarlier.

Attractions

The single-nave church of Saint -Claude came originally from a building of 1693, which was enlarged in 1740. The bell tower dates from 1826th in the village are Farmhouses in the characteristic style of the Franche -Comté are from the 17th to 19th centuries. Also worth seeing is the former Moulin d' Avelle.

Population

With 140 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Épenouse is one of the smallest municipalities of the department of Doubs. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1891 143 persons were still counted ), a slight population growth was recorded in recent years.

Economy and infrastructure

Épenouse was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) embossed village. The water power of the Creuse was formerly used for the operation of mills. Even today, the inhabitants live on the merits of the activity in the first sector. Outside of the primary sector, there are few jobs in the village. Many workers are also commuters who engage in the surrounding larger towns of their work.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares near a secondary road that leads from Valdahon by Baume- les -Dames. Another road connection with Belmont.