Montbozon

Montbozon is a commune in Haute -Saône in the Franche -Comté. It is the capital of the canton in the arrondissement of Vesoul Montbozon.

Geography

Montbozon situated at an altitude of 271 m above sea level, approximately 18 km south-southeast of the town of Vesoul (air line). The village is located on the plateau north of the valley of Ognon, in the southeast of the Haute -Saône.

The area of ​​8.63 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the middle Ognon Valley. The southern part is occupied by the municipality to a maximum of one kilometer wide Talniederung Ognon, which is on average 240 m. The river draws a flung northward arc here. To the south, the area extends to the adjacent hills to the Bois du Buyer. North of the Ognon the undercut slope rises steeply to 40 to 60 m higher plateau of Montbozon at that consists of limestone of the Upper Jurassic time. It is mainly agricultural (arable and meadow land ). With 319 m is reached on a knoll west of the village is the highest elevation of Montbozon. With a narrow strip, the municipality's area extends to the southwest in the extensive Grove des Bois Lajus.

At Montbozon the hamlet Sondenans part (240 m) south of the Ognon in Talniederung. Neighboring communities of Montbozon are Fontenois -lès- Montbozon in the north, and Thiénans Montagney - Servigney in the east, Montussaint, Avilley, Besnans and Maussans in the south and Loulans - Verchamp and Ormenans in the West.

History

The name Montbozon probably dates from around 800 and goes back to the Count Bozon, a grandson of Charlemagne. Since the 12th century, a noble family of Montbozon is occupied. In the Middle Ages Montbozon belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. The location was a fortified town, which controlled a crossing of the Ognon. Montbozon was the center of a Kastlanei and Provost, which comprised 72 villages in the 18th century. In 1450 the Dominican Hospital was founded. Together with the Franche -Comté Montbozon came with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. Since 2000 Montbozon is the administrative seat of the comprehensive 21 villages municipal association Communauté de communes du Pays de Montbozon.

Attractions

The church of Notre -Dame de la Nativity combines elements from different eras: the Gothic choir dates from the 15th century, while the ship was rebuilt in the 18th century. For the remarkable interiors include the richly carved choir stalls ( 16th century ), the main altar (18th century) and various grave plates. In the center are various buildings from the 16th to the 18th centuries in the traditional style of the Haute -Saône. The Fontaine du Cygne was built in 1828 and is now classified as a Monument historique. The fountain with the sculpture of a swan is semi-circular and is located in a portico. Additional points of interest include the former Dominican monastery and the Château de Montbozon from the 17th century.

Population

With 480 inhabitants ( 2004) Montbozon is one of the small towns in the Haute- Saône. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1911, 706 were still counted ), only relatively small fluctuations were recorded since the early 1960s.

Economy and infrastructure

Montbozon was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. In addition, there are now several companies of local small businesses, especially in the fields of pipeline construction, food industry ( biscuit factory) and Precision. Many workers are also 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 Rioz after Villersexel. Further road links exist with Vesoul, Avilley and Besnans.