Esmoulins

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

Geography

Esmoulins situated at an altitude of 195 m above sea level, 5 km south-southwest of Gray and 39 km west-northwest of the city of Besançon ( straight line ). The village is located in the southwest of the department, in the plane of Gray on the eastern edge of the valley of the Saône, at its inflow Tenise, on the western edge of the Forêt des Hauts Bois.

The area of ​​4.48 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the middle Saône Valley. The western border is always along the Saone, which flows here with several large loops through a flat area. The plane is on average 185 m and has a width of about five kilometers wide. In the area of Esmoulins is the vast forest area of the Bois de la Vaivre. From the river, the municipality's area extends eastward into the valley of Tenise and to the edge of the Forêt des Hauts Bois. Here the highest elevation of Esmoulins is achieved with 213 m.

Neighboring communities of Esmoulins are Velet in the north, Gray and Champvans in the east, the south and Apremont Mantoche in the West.

History

Is first mentioned in 1270 Esmoulins The place name comes from the two mills (French: moulin ). Returns that were driven by the water power of the Tenise. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. During the siege of Gray, the French King Louis XIV in 1668 to hit his headquarters at Esmoulins. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. Today Esmoulins is a member of the 16- villages municipal association Communauté de communes du Val de Gray.

Attractions

The Chapel of Esmoulins was built in the 16th century in the late Gothic style and has a remarkable interior. The town has five stone wayside crosses from the 17th to 19th centuries. From the 15th century, a house comes with two turrets. Of the former mills exist the Moulin lingerie (also Moulin de Brussey ) today.

Population

With 144 inhabitants ( 2006) Esmoulins one of the smallest municipalities in the department of Haute- Saône. After the population had been in the first half of the 20th century between 80 and 120 people, a population growth was recorded since the mid- 1970s.

Economy and infrastructure

Esmoulins was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. Outside of the primary sector, there are few jobs in the village. Some employed persons are also commuters who do their work in the larger towns in the area and agglomeration in Besançon.

The village has good transport links. It is located near the main road D475 which leads from Gray to Dole. Further road links exist with Apremont and Velet.