Les Bois

Les Bois is a municipality in the district Franches- Montagnes (German: Freiberg Mountains ) of the canton of Jura in Switzerland. The former German name Rudi wood is no longer used today.

Geography

Les Bois is located at 1,034 m above sea level. M., 11 km northeast of La Chaux -de-Fonds (air line). The village is located on a gently sloping hillside to the south on the Jura plateau of the southwestern mountains free (French Freiberge ).

The 24.7 km ² in area the largest municipality in the canton of Jura includes a portion of the gently undulating plateau of the Jura plateau, on the alternate boggy, usually above ground endorheic valleys with peaks of limestone. This plateau forms an extensive meadowlands, which individually or in groups by large standing firs is broken up and divided. The highest point of Les Bois is located at 1,120 m above sea level. M. at the height north of Le Peu -Claude. The northwestern boundary is the canyon-like cut in the Plateau Jura valley of the Doubs, its lower slopes thickly wooded and crossed by rock bands. In the west the municipality extends to the Combe du Valanvron, a further erosion valley which opens at Biaufond the Doubs Valley. From the municipality surface 1997 4 % came from settlements, 38 % of forest and shrubs, 57% to agriculture and about 1% was unproductive land.

At Les Bois include the nine hamlets Le Boéchet ( 1'033 m above sea level. M. ) Le Peu - Claude ( 1,105 m above sea level. M. ) Les Prailats (950 m above sea level. M. ), Sous les rank ( 1,010 m above sea level. M. ) and Cerneux - Godat ( 938 m above sea level. M. ), Le Bois -Français, Les Rosées, La Journée Large - all located on the plateau of the mountains free, the hamlet Biaufond (610 m above sea M. ). Doubs Valley in at the mouth of the Combe du Valanvron, as well as numerous individual farms. Neighboring municipalities of Les Bois are Manderscheid in the canton of Jura, Saint- Imier, Sonvilier and La Ferrière in the canton of Bern, La Chaux -de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel and Fournet -Blanche Roche and Charquemont in neighboring France.

Population

With 1137 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Les Bois is one of the larger municipalities in the canton of Jura. Of the 93.1 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 4.5 % and 0.6 % Italian-speaking (as of 2000). Since the second half of the 19th century, the population of Les Bois has significantly decreased to about 1950. After relatively minor fluctuations were recorded.

Economy

Les Bois is a predominantly dominantly agricultural village with a lot of grazing land, an important dairy farming and cattle breeding. Beginning of the 19th century developed in Les Bois textile processing and manufacturing watches, first in homework, and later in factories. Today, the watchmaking and the small business jobs in the secondary sector offer. Many workers are commuters and work in the city of La Chaux -de-Fonds.

Traffic

The municipality is situated on the main street of Delémont to La Chaux -de-Fonds. On December 7, 1892, the railway line of the Chemins de fer du Jura from La Chaux -de-Fonds to Saignelégier opened with stations in Les Bois and Le Boéchet.

History

The settlement Les Bois is first mentioned in 1484 as Des Boix. One of the first settlers in the 15th century was Jean Ruedin, after the place from the 16th to the 18th century Les Bois Jean Ruedin was named. The former German name Rudi wood goes back to these settlers. Les Bois belonged to the manor free mountains covered by the prince-bishops of Basel. In the 16th and 17th century, the village was repeatedly ravaged by the plague. During the Thirty Years' War the town was occupied. Between 1793 and 1815 Les Bois 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, the place came in 1815 to the canton of Bern and on 1 January 1979 at the newly founded Canton Jura. The aspirations of the residents of Le Cerneux- Godat to form an independent municipality, failed in 1815 and in 1871.

Attractions

The parish church of Sainte -Foy, whose first building in 1627, was extensively renovated in 1832-34 and rebuilt in the neo-classical style. Until 1596 Les Bois belonged to the parish Montfaucon, then to Manderscheid; since 1619 the place forms a separate parish. For townscape include some typical houses of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the hamlets are characteristic farms from the same period.