Epiquerez
Epiquerez is a village and was until December 31, 2008, a municipality in the district of Porrentruy in the canton of Jura in Switzerland.
She has merged with effect on 1 January 2009 along with Epauvillers, Montenol Montmelon Ocourt, Saint- Ursanne and Seleute to the municipality Clos du Doubs. The former municipal area has been reallocated to the merger of the District Franches -Montagnes in the District Porrentruy.
Geography
Epiquerez is located on 878 m above sea level. M., 9 km north-east of the district municipal seat Saignelégier (air line). The village extends along the broad crest of the Jura chain of the Clos du Doubs, approximately 450 m above the valley of the Doubs, near the border with France.
The area of 9.6 km ² large former municipal area includes a portion of the Clos du Doubs. The central part forms the back of the Jura chain, which is bounded on the north by the ridge Lai Gretche. The highest point of Epiquerez was on 910 m above sea level. M. In the southern part of the municipality included the often very steep northern flank of the Doubstals and handed in a narrow strip to the opposite side of the valley below Montfavergier. From the municipality surface 1997 2 % related to settlements, 46 % of forest and woody plants, 50 % in agriculture and somewhat less than 2% was unproductive land.
To Epiquerez the hamlet Essertfallon included ( 736 m above sea level. M. ) on the southern slope of the Clos du Doubs and Chervillers (462 m above sea level. M. ) only slightly above the valley of the Doubs, which forms an island here, as well as several individual farms. Neighboring communities of Epiquerez were Ocourt, Seleute, Epauvillers, Saint- Brais, Montfavergier and Soubey in the Canton of Jura and Burnevillers in neighboring France.
Population
With 91 inhabitants ( end of 2007) Epiquerez was one of the smallest municipalities in the canton of Jura. Of the 93.8 % inhabitants are French-speaking and German-speaking 6.2 % (as of 2000). Since 1870 (then 285 inhabitants), the population of Epiquerez has decreased by about two thirds. 1900 were still counted 186 inhabitants.
Economy
Epiquerez is a predominantly agricultural village embossed with dairy farming, cattle breeding and agriculture. Outside the primary sector jobs in the village hardly exist. The few workers who are not engaged in agriculture, working abroad, mainly in Saint- Ursanne.
Traffic
Epiquerez is far away from the major thoroughfares. It is accessible by a spur road that from the main road Saint- Ursanne - Soubey branches. On this main road are post bus course four times a day, each of which makes a detour to Epiquerez up and thus the village connects to public transport.
History
His first mention of the village is 1446 as it Piquerez that derives from chez les Piquerez, a family named Piquerez. The town was under the provost of Saint- Ursanne. Between 1793 and 1815 Epiquerez belonged to France and was initially part of the département du Mont- Terrible, associated from 1800 with the Department of Haut -Rhin. By the decision of the Congress of Vienna, the place came in 1815 to the canton of Bern and on 1 January 1979 at the newly founded Canton Jura. 1869, the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini was honored with the Honorary Citizenship of Epiquerez.
Attractions
The site is dominated by numerous characteristic farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries. Ecclesiastical Epiquerez was always dependent on Epauvillers. Worth mentioning are the water cisterns from the 18th century, built around the farm " Au Clos des Citernes ". You have a depth of 6 - to 8 m. The remarkable thing is that the cisterns on have the same water level all year about. They are fed by so-called artesian springs. Where does the millennia-old groundwaters, has not been explored. Until the 70s, the French peasants brought with horses and buggies, the water from these cisterns.