Montessaux

Montessaux is a commune in Haute -Saône in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Montessaux situated at an altitude of 324 m above sea level, 8 km northeast of Lure and about 33 km east-northeast of the town of Vesoul (air line). The village is located in the eastern part of the department, in the plane of Lure, in the lowlands of Ognon, near the western foot of the Vosges.

The area of ​​3.05 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the level of Lure. The Floodplain on the edge of the Vosges is on average 320 m. It is traversed by the river Ognon that flows with multiple turns through a formerly swampy lowlands to the southwest. The valley is mainly used for agricultural purposes. A 10 m high road ratio leads on to the terrace to the south of Le Bouset showing a loose structure of meadow and woodland. It consists of sand and gravel sediments that were deposited during the Pleistocene in advance of the Vosges glacier. With 350 m is reached on the hill Les Viaux the highest elevation of Montessaux. The entire municipality is part of the Regional Natural Park of Ballons des Vosges.

Neighboring communities of Montessaux are Mélisey the west and north, Saint -Barthélemy in the east and La Neuvelle -lès -Lure in the south.

History

At the time of Columban here a monastery called Monasterium salicis was founded about 600. In the Middle Ages Montessaux belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. The local government had initially served the Lords of Faucogney, since 1339, the village belonged to the barony Mélisey. Together with the Franche -Comté reached the village with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. Today Montessaux is a member of the 12 localities comprehensive community association Communauté de communes de la Haute Vallée de l' Ognon. Montessaux does not have its own church, it belongs to the parish of Saint -Barthélemy.

Attractions

In the center a few farmhouses dating from the 19th century are preserved, showing the traditional style of the region. On Ognon is a mill until 1963 was from 1613 into operation.

Population

With 171 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Montessaux one of the small towns in the Haute- Saône. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1891 186 persons were still counted ), a slight population growth was recorded in recent years.

Economy and infrastructure

Montessaux is still a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) embossed village. Outside of the primary sector, there are few jobs in town. 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. The main access is from the secondary road that leads from Lure by Mélisey. Further road links exist with Saint -Barthélemy and La Neuvelle -lès -Lure.