Essert (Territoire de Belfort)

Essert ( formerly German shear ) is a town in the French department of Territoire de Belfort in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Essert is on 367 m above the sea, about three kilometers west of the town of Belfort ( a straight line ). The former road line village stretches in the hills west of Belfort, in the wide valley of the Douce, between the rolling hills of La Côte in the southwest and the Montagne du Salbert in the north.

The area of 7.01 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the gently undulating landscape in the western part of the Burgundian Gate ( trouée de Belfort ). The central part of the area is traversed in a northwest-southeast direction from the wide valley of the Douce, which provides for the drainage of the Savoureuse for Allan. The valley floor is on average 360 m and is outside the settlement area, mainly composed of arable and meadow land. More or less parallel to Douce, but at a distance of up to 700 m runs the waterway of the Canal de la Haute -Saône, a side branch of the Rhine- Rhone Canal.

South of the Douce enough the community area on the wooded back of the Côte (450 m), on which a fort is located. The eastern boundary is located on the outskirts of Belfort. On its northern side the valley of the forest hills of the Haut-du -Mont ( 479 m ) and the Coudrai is lined (452 m). In the far north reaches of communal land in the Bois du Petit- Salbert, on the 511 meters, the highest elevation of Essert is achieved. It forms a foothill of the Montagne du Salbert.

Neighboring communities of Essert are Évette - Salbert and Cravanche in the north, Belfort in the east, Bavilliers, Urcerey and Buc in the south and Châlonvillars in the West.

History

The territory of Essert was inhabited in Gallo- Roman and Merovingian period, which could be demonstrated by means of various finds. Is first mentioned Essert in 1303 under the name Shert. The place name is on exsartum, the past participle of Late Latin word exsarire ( clear, speak to cultivate ) due. For later times the names Essar and Exers come.

First, standing in the sphere of influence of the Lords of Montbeliard, Essert reached the mid 14th century under the suzerainty of the Habsburg and belonged to the rule Belfort. Together with the Sundgau came the village with the 1648 Peace of Westphalia to the French crown. Since 1793 Essert belonged to the Department of Haut -Rhin, however, remained in 1871 as part of the Territoire de Belfort as opposed to the rest of Alsace in France. From the mid- 70s of the 19th century, the fort was built on the Côte, which belongs to the mounting ring of Belfort. Since 1973 Essert part of the agglomeration Belfort (now community association Communauté d' AgglomÃ Belfortaine ).

Attractions

The present building of the Church of St. Leger ( Église Saint -Léger ) dates from the 18th century, but the church has its origins back to the early 14th century. The internal design of the main altar belongs ( 18th century ), which dates from the Cathedral of Belfort. The old town is characterized by various houses in the traditional style of the Franche-Comté from the 18th and 19th centuries. On the Côte stands the Fort ( late 19th century).

Population

With 3166 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Essert belongs to the medium-sized municipalities in the department of Territoire de Belfort. After the population had increased only very slowly in the first half of the 20th century, a strong population growth has been recorded since the early 1950s, with the largest growth rates 1954-1962 and again in the late 1970s were made. Since 1950, the population has nearly tripled. The settlement area of Essert has grown together seamlessly with those of Belfort and Bavilliers.

Economy and infrastructure

Essert was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) embossed village. Throughout the 20th century, the village developed into a residential community on the outskirts of Belfort. There are no major commercial and industrial zones. Today in the town of numerous plants of small and medium industries are established, including one company in the packaging industry. Furthermore, there are many shops of retail for your everyday needs. Many workers are also commuters who do their work in the other municipalities of the agglomeration Belfort.

The village has good transport links. It lies on the main road N19, which runs from Belfort to Lure. The nearest links to the A36 motorway is located at a distance of about four kilometers. With the city of Belfort Essert is connected by a bus.

Municipality in the department of Territoire de Belfort
Place in Franche -Comté

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