Mercey-sur-Saône

Mercey -sur -Saône is a commune in Haute -Saône in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Mercey -sur -Saône is located at an altitude of 202 m above sea level, 14 km northeast of Gray and about 40 km northwest of the city of Besançon (air line). The village is located in the west of the department, on the southern edge of the Talniederung the Saône, on both sides of the village Bach Ruisseau de la Fourouse.

The area of ​​7.69 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the middle Saône Valley. To the west, north and east the border is always along the Saône, which draws a large bow here and flows through a roughly two kilometers wide Alluvialniederung. The flood plain is on average 195 m. The river is expanded to the waterway, the river loop of Savoyeux is cut off by a side channel. From the river, the municipality's area extends southward over the Talniederung and a slowly rising slope up to the adjacent plateau. This consists of an alternation of calcareous and sandy- marly sediments of the upper Jurassic period and from Tertiary deposits. On the plateau, which lies at 230 m, dominates agricultural use. With a narrow strip of communal land extends further to the south in the vast forest of the Forêt de Belle Vaivre. With 253 meters, the highest elevation of Mercey -sur -Saône is achieved in this forest.

Neighboring communities of Mercey -sur -Saône are Savoyeux in the north, Motey -sur -Saône in the east, and Seveux Beaujeu -Saint -Vallier- Pierrejux -et -Quitteur in the south and Autet in the West.

History

The territory of Mercey -sur -Saône was settled very early. In the forest of Le Vernois southwest of the village three tumuli were discovered from the Hallstatt period and excavated. The place name comes from the Latin personal name Marcius or Mercius. In the Middle Ages Mercey belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. The village was the center of a small rule, which came in 1313 to the Lords of Savoyeux and later learned numerous changes of ownership. Together with the Franche -Comté came Mercey with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. Today Mercey -sur -Saône is a member of the comprehensive 42 villages municipal association Communauté de communes des Quatre Rivières.

Attractions

The single-nave church of Saint- Jérôme, which was built in the 18th century, stands out for its large choir, which was added in the 19th century. Dating from around 1775, the castle dates (La Tour de Mercey ). At the eastern entrance to the village is the Lavoir 18th century, whose roof is supported by pillars.

Population

With 137 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Mercey -sur -Saône is one of the smallest municipalities in the department of Haute- Saône. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1881 383 persons were still counted ), a slight population growth was recorded since the early 1980s again.

Economy and infrastructure

Mercey -sur -Saône was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) embossed village. Today, there are some establishments of local small businesses. In recent decades the village has been transformed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village is situated away from the larger passage axes on a secondary road that leads from Beaujeu after Savoyeux. Another road connection with Motey -sur -Saône. On the northern side of the Saône (municipality Savoyeux ), the railway station on the railway line from Vesoul is according to Gray.