Grandfontaine (Doubs)
Grand Fontaine is a commune in the French department Doubs in the Franche -Comté.
Geography
Grand Fontaine is located on 239 m, 10 km west-southwest of the city of Besançon ( straight line ). The village is located in the gently undulating countryside between the rivers of Doubs in the south and in the north Ognon.
The area of 5.68 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the north Doubstals. Passing the part with arable and meadow land, partly with forest landscape shows only slight differences in relief. A short creek drains the area south to the Doubs. In the far south, the municipality area extends to the river Doubs. The northern boundary runs along the main road N73, combines the Besançon with Dole. At 295 m is reached on a hill west of the village is the highest elevation of Grand Fontaine.
Neighboring communities of Grand Fontaine Dannemarie -sur- Crète, Chemaudin and Franois the north, Avanne - Aveney in the East Mont Ferrand -le- Château and Thoraise in the south and Torpes and Velesmes - Dessessart in the West.
History
Several findings indicate that the municipality of Grand Fontaine was already inhabited in Gallo- Roman times. Is first mentioned Grand Fontaine in 1089 under the Latinized name Grandis Fonte. In the Middle Ages the village belonged successively to the Lords of Mont Ferrand and family Gauthiot from Gray, before it came to the Jesuit College of Besançon in the 17th century. Together with the Franche- Comté reached Grand Fontaine with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France.
Attractions
The church of Saint -Pierre -et -Paul, a church hall was built in 1781 in the Louis XVI style.
Population
With 1432 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Grand Fontaine is one of the smaller communities of the department of Doubs. Once the population has consistently had in the first half of the 20th century in the area of 230-290 people, a striking population growth was recorded since the early 1950s. Since then, the population has more than quadrupled. Today Grand Fontaine is part of the outer belt agglomeration of Besançon.
Economy and infrastructure
Grand Fontaine was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture ( farming, fruit growing and dairy farming ) and forestry embossed village. In addition, there are now several companies of local small businesses. Meanwhile, the village has also changed into a residential community. Many workers are commuters who engage in the agglomeration Besançon their work.
The village has good transport links. It is located near the main road N73, which runs from Besancon to Dole. The nearest links to the A36 motorway is located at a distance of about 6 km. Further road links exist with Routelle, Torpes and Mont Ferrand -le- Château.