Leyssard
Leyssard is a commune in the French department of Ain, in the Rhône -Alpes.
Geography
Leyssard is located on 566 m above sea level. Level, about 18 kilometers southwest of the city Oyonnax ( straight line ) in the southern French Jura Mountains. The area of 9.13 km ² municipal area comprises part of the Montagne de Berthiand, a ridge ( anticline ) in the Bugey with an undulating plateau between the Ain valley and the valley of Oignin. Here, gentle hills and troughs alternate with elongated ridges from. In the south of the creek Leyssard leaves the municipality towards Ain, but he does not water all year round, as a large part of the rainwater seeps quickly in the porous limestone substrate. The western edge of the town follows the terrain edge, behind which begins about 200 m incised gorge of the Ain.
The community Leyssard consists of six small hamlets, namely:
- Leyssard (480 m above sea level. M. ) in a hollow near the source of the stream of the same name
- Chapiard ( 638 m above sea level. M. ) in the south on the western flank of up to 815 m above sea level. M. reaching the ridge
- Ecuvillon (590 m above sea level. M. ) in the south
- Mens ( 731 m above sea level. M. ) on a hill in the west of the municipality
- Solomiat (632 m above sea level. M. ) on a plateau south of Mont Griset
- Balvay (542 m above sea level. M. ) in a survey of a loop of the Ain.
About the municipal area of the increase goes to Col de Berthiand, but none of the hamlet is located right on the mountain pass. Neighboring communities of Leyssard are Bolozon and Sonthonnax -la -Montagne to the north, Nurieux - Volognat, Peyriat and Ceignes in the West, Challes -la -Montagne to the south and Serrières -sur- Ain in the West.
History
Is first mentioned Leyssard in 1250 under the name Leyssart. From the 13th century to 1402 Leyssard belonged to the rule of Thoire -Villars, after which it came under the suzerainty of the Counts of Savoy. The Treaty of Lyon in 1601 it passed to France. The originally to the river Ain -reaching community was divided in 1828 so that the hamlet Serrières, Sonthonnax le Vignoble and Merpuis et Malaval the independent community Serrières -sur- Ain formed.
Attractions
In Balvay there is a lookout point over the gorge-like valley of the Ain, the Revremont and the wide plain of Bresse at the site of a castle from the foundation walls are still visible today. The village church in Leyssard dates back to the 16th century.
Population
With 152 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Leyssard one of the small communities of the department of Ain. After the population had steadily decreased during the 20th century (1901 406 persons were still counted ), a slight increase in population was recorded since the early 1990s again.
Economy and infrastructure
Leyssard was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by agriculture, especially dairy farming and animal husbandry, and forestry village. Meanwhile, the village has been transformed into a residential community, most workers are commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work. Five farms (as of 2010) are still in place resident.
The municipality is crossed by the Department of Road D979, which runs from Nantua to Bourg -en- Bresse. The transverse to the mountain ranges of the Jura running road climbs here to Col de Berthiand, and branch roads lead from it to the various hamlets. From Chapiat from each performs a side road to Challes -la -Montagne and after Étables. The next connection to the national motorway network is the connection point " La Croix Chalons " on the A404.