Fontain

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

Geography

Fontain is situated on 430 m, about 4 km south of the city of Besançon (air line). The village is located in the western Jura, a slightly elevated position on the southern slopes of the Jura - edge chain, which connects south to the valley of the Doubs, on the so-called first plateau.

The area of ​​16:27 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the western French Jura. The central part of the area is occupied by the wide first Jura plateau, which averages to 380 m. It is south of Fontain a wide pool without surface drainage, because the rainwater seeps into the karst underground. This sink is mainly consisted of meadow and arable land, and partly of wood. In the far south passes through a 50 m high terrain level to the high area of ​​the Grand Bois ( to 440 m).

To the north of the plateau connects the Jura - edge chain, an elongated ridge, which is divided by the erosion valley of the village of Bach's Beure in two combs in the range of Fontain. With 508 meters, the highest elevation of Fontain is achieved at the height north of the village. The northern boundary runs along the narrow ridge of the Mont des Buis ( 480 m), which in turn drops steeply to the valley of the Doubs.

At Fontain addition to the actual site include several hamlets and isolated farms, including:

• La Forêt de Fontain (380 m) in the basin of the first plateau
• Les Mairots (370 m) in the basin of the first plateau

Neighboring communities of Fontain are Beure, Besançon and Morre in the north, La Vèze in the east, Mérey -sous -Montrond and Montrond- le -Château in the south and Arguel in the West.

History

The territory of Fontain was settled very early. As the earliest evidence of Iron Age tumuli apply. In the Gallo- Roman period indicate coin and bricks finds.

Is first mentioned Fontain in 1265 under the name Fontens. Over time, the spelling on Fontain ( 1317 ), Fontanis and Fontaine ( 1403 ) for the present name developed. Since the Middle Ages Fontain belonged to the rule Arguel, which was under the protection of the House Chalon. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 to France.

Attractions

The church of Saint -Pierre was originally developed from a building from 1145, who was replaced from 1758 to 1770 by the present church. In the village are farmhouses are preserved in the characteristic style of the Franche -Comté from the 17th to 19th centuries. Furthermore, the chapel of Notre -Dame des Buis and from 1874 to 1878 built Fort Marulaz on the Mont des Buis are worth mentioning.

Population

With 949 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Fontain is one of the small communities of the department of Doubs. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1881 570 persons were still counted ), a striking population growth was recorded since the early 1970s again.

Economy and infrastructure

Fontain was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. Since the 1970s, a small commercial zone has developed in which an industrial bakery and businesses have established wood processing. Meanwhile, the village has also changed into a residential community. Many workers are commuters who engage in the larger towns in the area, particularly in Besançon their work.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares on a secondary road, which Montfaucon south of the Jura - edge chain to the main road N83 (Besançon - Lons -le- Saunier ) leads. Further road links exist with Arguel and Mérey -sous -Montrond.