Mathay

Mathay is a commune in the French department Doubs in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Mathay is located on 341 m, about 8 km south of the town of Montbéliard (air line). The street village extends into the valley of the Doubs on the left bank of the river, in the northern French Jura between the heights of the Bois de Mathay in the west and the high plateau of Blamont in the east.

The area of ​​14.85 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the French Jura. The central part of the area occupied by the valley of the Doubs, the multi-turn here flows through a flat Talniederung of around 1.5 miles wide north and below the village draws a sharp bend to the east. The eastern border is always along the Doubs. In the valley floor former gravel and sand pits were filled with water, so that south of the village was a large quarry. From the river, the municipality's area extends westward across the Talniederung and a relatively steep slope, which is broken down by various short Erosionstälchen up on the adjacent heights. These are mainly forested: Bois de Saint- Symphorien (408 m) and Bois de Bambe (412 m ) in the north, Bois de Mathay ( 427 m) in the northwest and the slow to the Grands Bois rising heights of Lucelans in the West. With 551 m is at Lucelans reached the highest elevation of Mathay. On the west of the municipality extends to the ground in the valley of Les Combes.

To Mathay the hamlet Lucelans part (530 m ) on the Tabular Jura plateau west of the Doubstals. Neighboring communities of Mathay are Voujeaucourt and Valentigney in the north, Mandeure in the east, the south and Bourguignon Écot, Dampierre -sur -le- Doubs and Berche in the West.

History

Some remnants indicate that the municipality of Mathay was already inhabited during the Bronze Age. As a result of its direct proximity to the Roman city Epomanduodurum ( Mandeure ) is proved by numerous tracks ( wall foundations, hypocaust, fountains, pottery fragments, coins ) from the Gallo-Roman settlement. By Mathay then led the Thoroughfare of Vesontio (Besançon ) to Augusta Raurica.

In the 12th century the area belonged to the monastery of Mathay possession of Baume- les -Dames. Later, the men of Neuchâtel held the sovereignty over the village. Together with the Franche -Comté it came with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 to France. To a field change occurred in 1867, when the previously independent Lucelans was incorporated into Mathay. Since July 2002 Mathay part of the community association Communauté d' Agglomà du Pays de Montbéliard.

Attractions

The church of Saint -Pierre -et -Saint -Paul was built in the 18th century. It has a statue of Notre- Dame Blanche, which was sunk during the Reformation in the Doubs and probably belonged to the decoration of the church Saint- Maimboeuf in Montbeliard. Outside the village at the foot of the hill of the same name is the chapel of Saint- Symphorien, which originally dates back to the 12th century, but since then it has been subject of a comprehensive restoration. From a medieval castle are only a few remnants remain.

Population

With 2154 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Mathay belongs to the medium-sized municipalities in the department of Doubs. Once the population has consistently had in the first half of the 20th century in the region between 600 and 700 people, a significant population increase has been recorded since the early 1960s. Since then, the population has doubled. The settlement area of Mathay stretched out along the main roads and has grown together almost seamlessly with those of Mandeure and Bourguignon.

Economy and infrastructure

Mathay has long been a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. During the 20th century it more and more commercial and industrial moved to the pull of agglomeration Montbéliard. Among the important industries include textiles, precision engineering and wood processing. Meanwhile, the village has also changed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who do their work in the agglomeration Montbéliard.

The village has good transport links. It lies on the main road that leads from Montbéliard via Pont -de- Roide after Morteau. The nearest links to the A36 motorway, which runs through the municipality, is located at a distance of about 4 km. Another important road connection with Audi Court. In 1886, inaugurated the railway line from Montbéliard to Pont -de- Roide with a station at Mathay now serves only to freight. A bus line that runs from Montbéliard to Maîche, Mathay connects to the network of public transport.