Fresens

Fresens is a municipality in the district of Boudry in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland.

Geography

Fresens is located on 620 m above sea level. M., 18 km southwest of the capital of the canton of Neuchâtel (air line). The farming village extends into Béroche on a spur of the Jura south slope, in a scenic location around 200 m above the lake level of Lake Neuchâtel.

The area of ​​only 1.6 square kilometers just large municipal territory includes the terrace of Fresens on the southern slope of the Soliat. The southern boundary is marked by the slightly deepened in the hillside valley of the river La Vaux. The highest point of Fresens is located 690 meters above sea level. M. on the hillside above the village. From the municipality surface 1997 11 % came from settlements, 8% forest and woody plants and 81 % to agriculture.

Neighboring communities of Fresens are Montalchez, Saint- Aubin- Sauges and Vaumarcus in the canton of Neuchâtel and Mutrux and Provence in the canton of Vaud.

Population

With 223 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Fresens one of the smallest municipalities in the canton of Neuchâtel. Of the 94.5 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 3.7 % and 0.5 % Italian-speaking (as of 2000). 1880 counted Fresens 234 inhabitants, then took the population by 1950 to 147 residents from, and since then has made a slight upward trend observed.

Economy

Fresens a predominantly agricultural embossed village has remained until today, predominantly are agriculture and animal husbandry. During the 19th century, was also temporarily the lace as an important source of income of the population. Outside agriculture, there are few jobs in the village in an operation of wood processing and local small businesses.

Traffic

The community is located off the major thoroughfares, the main access is from Saint- Aubin. More road connections are available with Montalchez and the hamlet Vernéaz. Fresens is the bus line that runs from Gorgier to Provence, connected to the network of public transport.

History

The territory has been inhabited since the Roman era. At the time, the trade route Vy d' Etra through the area; Remains of a Roman building were found in La Salette. Furthermore, we discovered a graveyard from the Merovingian time. The first written mention of the village was carried out in 1268 under the present name, in 1290 appeared the name Fresain and 1340 villa de seizure. The place name probably derives from the personal name Frigis.

Fresens belonged from the 13th century to the reign Gorgier that came as a fief to the counts of Neuchâtel 1344. Since 1648 Neuchâtel principality and 1707 was linked by personal union with the Kingdom of Prussia. 1806, the region was ceded to Napoleon I. and came in 1815 during the Congress of Vienna to the Swiss Confederation, the kings of Prussia until 1857 Neuchâtel trade also prince of Neuchâtel remained. In 1831 was built in Fresens in the wake of the upheavals of the time a freedom tree.

Attractions

Worth seeing is the old village fountain La Pompe with a roof of wooden shingles. Fresens does not have its own church, it belongs to the parish of Saint- Aubin- Sauges.