Les Clées

Aerial view of Les Clées

Les Clées ( [le smal ], Provençal in the local dialect [ ɛ çʎɛjɛ ] ) is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.

Geography

Les Clées is located at 610 m above sea level. M., 5 km west of Orbe and 15 km west-southwest of the district capital Yverdon- les- Bains ( straight line ). The village is located on a ridge to the left of the Orbe, in a small valley widening in the Gorges de l' Orbe on the edge of the Jura and the southern foot of the Suchet.

The area of ​​7.0 km ² large municipality area comprises a narrow section in the region of the deep Orbetals. The valley slopes are partially crossed by rock bands. To the west of the municipality extends to the bottom Waldhang Pré Caraudy, at the 870 m above sea level. M. the highest point of Les Clées is achieved. In the east the area extends to the projected nature Gorges de l' Orbe. In the northeast, Les Clées includes a portion of the inclined eastward Jura plateau with woodland Chassagne. From the municipality surface 1997 accounted for 5% on settlements, 70 % of forest and shrubs, 24% to agriculture and slightly more than 1% was unproductive land.

At Les Clées includes the hamlet of La Russille ( 692 m above sea level. M. ) on the foot of the Jura plateau above the forest Chassagne and some individual farms. Neighboring municipalities of Les Clées are Agiez, Bretonnières, Premier, Vallorbe, Ballaigues, Lignerolle, L' Abergement, Sergey and Montcherand.

Population

With 159 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Les Clées one of the small communities of the Canton of Vaud. Of the 94.2 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 3.9 % and 1.3 % speak Serbo-Croatian (as of 2000). The population of Les Clées amounted in 1850 to 222 residents in 1900 to 228 inhabitants. Then they halved by 1970 to 115 inhabitants, since a slight population increase was observed again.

Economy

Les Clées is still a dominantly agricultural village with some farming and animal husbandry. Thanks to the large proportion of the forest community area and the wood processing had a significance to the 1970s. Some other jobs provides to the local small businesses. From the 15th to the 18th century in a furnace pig iron was smelted. A hydroelectric power plant, which until 1965 was in operation from 1892, was replaced by an underground facility.

Traffic

The municipality is now off the main road at a junction of Baulmes to Romainmôtier -Envy. On the northern flank of the Orbe since 1989 proceeds the motorway A9 with multiple backrest viaducts. The Postbus course, which runs from Orbe to Vallorbe, has a stop near the hamlet of La Russille.

History

In Roman times, led the road over the Jougnepass at Les Clées on the Orbe, probably located here once a Roman camp, bearing the name Cletae and castrum ad claves. The name refers to a place on a narrow Wegpassage.

More recently, Les Clées was first mentioned in 1134 under the name Clees; 1268 appeared the name Cloies. Probably the bridge over the Orbe was already fixed in 1050. In the course of the 12th century, the reign Les Clées, which was in 1232 awarded by the Dukes of Burgundy, the Counts of Geneva developed. 1260 she came to Savoy. The rule initially comprised eight surrounding villages. From the 15th century to 1566 also the entire Vallée de Joux belonged to Les Clées.

To the castle gradually arose a small town that became urban in 1272 by the Counts of Savoy freedoms. In the aftermath Les Clées flourished thanks to the intake of Wegzöllen. Above the old town ( vieux Bourg ) developed in the late 13th century, the Bourg neuf called Neustadt. During the Burgundian Wars, the town was conquered in 1475 and destroyed by the Confederates.

With the conquest of Vaud by Bern in 1536, Les Clées was a Kastlanei under the bailiwick of Yverdon. This gradually began the decline of the town. After the collapse of the ancien régime was Les Clées 1798 to 1803 during the Helvetic Republic to the canton of Geneva, who came up then with the enactment of the Act of Mediation in the canton of Vaud. It was in 1798 the district of Orbe allocated.

Attractions

The chapel at the former North Gate was mentioned in the 14th century. The present building dates from 1738 to 1740, the tower was rebuilt in its original form. Of the former three city gates no more residues are visible, while individual components are obtained from the Walling. On an isolated hill above the Orbe are the remains of the former castle, which was destroyed in 1475. Get the massive square keep dating from the 13th century which has been restored during the 19th century. About the Orbe performs a stone bridge of in 1764.

Castle Hill

Church of La Russille

Bridge of the motorway A9 between Les Clées and La Russille