Lajoux (Switzerland)
Village center of Lajoux
Lajoux is a municipality in the district Franches- Montagnes in the canton of Jura in Switzerland.
Geography
Lajoux is located at 960 m above sea level. M., 11 km east-northeast of the district municipal seat Saignelégier (air line). The village is located in a depression on the Jura plateau of the Eastern Free Mountains (French Freiberge ).
The area of 12.4 km ² large municipality area includes a portion of the gently undulating plateau of the Jura plateau on which boggy, usually above ground endorheic valleys with peaks of limestone alternate. Extensive Jura meadows with standing individually or in groups large spruce trees and some forest areas occupy the central and southwestern part of Lajoux. In the south, the territory extends to the edge of the moor Les Embreux as well as on the level of Les Combes ( 1,063 m above sea level with. M. the highest point of Lajoux ) and on the northern slopes of the Haut de Béroie. North of the height of the Chu Prières the erosion valley Envers des Combes lowers into the plateau, which lies within the catchment area of the stream Tabeillon. Northeast of Lajoux begins the valley of Combe Beusses, a left tributary of the Sorne, in which there are several ponds. From the municipality surface 1997 4 % came from settlements, 33 % of forest and shrubs, 62% to agriculture and slightly less than 1% was unproductive land.
To Lajoux include the hamlet of Les Vacheries de Lajoux (980 m above sea level. M. ) Le Paigre (990 m above sea level. M. ) and Fornet- Dessus ( 973 m above sea level. M. ), all on the plateau of the mountains free, as well as numerous individual farms. Neighboring communities of Lajoux are Les Genevez, Montfaucon, Saint- Brais and Saulcy in the Canton of Jura and Rebévelier, Châtelat and Saicourt in the Canton of Bern.
Population
With 680 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Lajoux belongs to the medium-sized municipalities in the canton of Jura. Of the 94.4 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 4.1 % and 0.5 % Italian-speaking (as of 2000). The population of Lajoux amounted in 1850 to 571 residents in 1900 to 610 inhabitants. During the 20th century, it took until 1980 from 491 people. Since then, a significant increase in population was recorded again.
Economy
Lajoux is still dominantly agricultural village with dairy farming and cattle breeding. More jobs are available in the fields of watchmaking and mechanics; in Lajoux is also the Girolle, the rotary knife for cheese Tete de Moine, made .
Traffic
The community is located off the major thoroughfares on the main road of Glovelier to Tramelan. Lajoux is connected by traveling on this route bus to public transport.
History
His first mentioned in 1404 as the village of La Joux Mertenat. However, the first mention of the hamlet Fornet- Dessus goes back to the year 1181. Remains of furnaces from the 14th and 15th century confirm the iron smelting during the Middle Ages in the municipality of Lajoux. The village was under the monastery Bellelay. Between 1793 and 1815 it belonged to France and was initially part of the Département du Mont- Terrible, associated from 1800 with the Department of Haut -Rhin. By the decision of the Congress of Vienna Lajoux came in 1815 to the canton of Bern to the district of Moutier. The residents of Lajoux voted in the Juraplebisziten always for the creation of the Canton of Jura. As a border town in the district Moutier Lajoux decided in the referendum of September 7, 1975 for the Canton of Jura, entered 1976 in the District Franches- Montagnes over and came up with this on 1 January 1979 at the newly founded Canton Jura.
Attractions
The parish church of Lajoux was built in 1809. It has stained glass windows by Coghuf as well as a remarkable altarpiece of Schongauer School, created in 1500.
Pictures
Cemetery
Church
Interior of the Church: View of the altar
Etang Sous le crat
Ruins of the late medieval mill Sous le crat