Les Piards

Les Piards is a commune in the French department of Jura in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Les Piards is located at 915 m above sea level. M., about twelve kilometers north of the town of Saint- Claude ( a straight line ). The village is located in the Jura, in a Combe, which is drained by the Bief de Nanchey, southwest of the plateaus of Grandvaux, between the heights of the forest Forêt des Piards in the west and the Bois de la Joux Derriere in the east.

The area of ​​5.29 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the French Jura. The landscape is characterized by parallel ridges and terrain longitudinal troughs, which are oriented towards south-southwest - north- northeast, according to the strike of the Jura Mountains in the area. The central part of the municipal area is from the Combe du Nanchey ( average altitude of 900 m. M. ) ingested, forming a syncline in geological terms. This approximately 800 m wide Talniederung is drained by the Bief de Nanchey, which flows north-northeast and seeps outside the municipal area at the edge of the high plateau of Grandvaux.

Flanked the Combe du Nanchey in the east of the forest height of the Bois de la Joux Derriere, on 1030 m above sea level. M. the highest elevation of Les Piards is achieved. To the west, the municipality's area covers the extensive grove of Forêt des Piards (up to 990 m above sea level. M. ), which is characterized by terrain ribs and above ground septic wells. The area of Les Piards is part of the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut- Jura.

At Les Piards the hamlet of Les include fans (900 m above sea level. M. ) in the Combe du Nanchey as well as some individual farms. Neighboring municipalities of Les Piards are Prénovel in the north, Chaux -des- Prés to the east, and Leschères Les Crozets in the south and Étival and Châtel- de -Joux in the West.

History

The name was Les Piards of the 15th century from Geneva here emigrant family Piard. Even today carry about 30% of the villagers the name Piard. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 to France.

Attractions

The Chapel of Saint -Remy was inaugurated in 1498 and has a bell which is dated to the year 1488.

Population

With 177 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Les Piards one of the small towns in the Jura. Once the population has consistently had in the first half of the 20th century in the area of around 150 people, sank in the second half to around 130 people, before returning to a population growth was recorded in the 1990s.

Economy and infrastructure

Les Piards was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by agriculture, especially livestock and dairy farming, as well as by the forestry village. In addition, there are today some of the local small business enterprises. Many workers are also commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

As a resort in a popular tourist area in the High Jura Les Piards now benefiting also from tourism, especially on winter tourism, if in the region cross country skiing and downhill skiing can be operated.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares on a secondary road that leads from Les Crozets after Prénovel. Further road links exist with Châtel- de -Joux and Leschères.