Morteau

Morteau is a commune in the department of Doubs, Franche-Comté region. It is located in the Jura near the Swiss border.

Geography

The community Morteau located in the valley of the river Doubs, which drops from Pontarlier forth against Morteau.

History

The first time is mentioned in the year 1105 Morteau. At this time, monks settled here from Cluny to make the mountain regions arable. They drew more people to find their, the first inhabitants of settlements as Morteau were.

1349, the population decreased by the plague by two thirds. After residents emigrated from the canton of Fribourg and the Aosta Valley in this area.

In 1639, the Swedes moved into the town, leaving devastation and caused many residents to leave the area in the direction of Savoy and Switzerland.

Morteau suffered throughout history again and again with great conflagrations. The most serious occurred in the years 1639, 1683, 1702, 1849 and 1865.

In the Peace of Nijmegen 1678/79 Marteau came under French rule after the suzerainty had successively located at the Earl of Montfaucon, the city of Neuchâtel and the Habsburgs.

Population

Economy and infrastructure

Morteau is located on the cross-border railway from La Chaux -de-Fonds in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel to Besançon.

Morteau is a center of the watch industry dating back here to the year 1680. The Clock Museum - " Musée de l' horlogerie " - shows their history. Today the largest private employer is a company for car equipment and accessories: he employs about 500 people.

A specialty of Morteau is a smoked sausage made ​​of pork, the " Saucisse de Morteau ", also known as Belle de Morteau. Every year in August a sausage festival, the Fête de la Saucisse, with great parade instead. Other companies in the food industry are also based in Morteau.

Twinning

Morteau is twinned with the town of Vohrenbach in the Black Forest (Baden- Württemberg).

Sons and daughters

• Jean -Claude Bouquet (1819-1885), French mathematician

Others

The train station of Morteau is the scene of several scenes in the 2002 film Monsieur Batignole rotated by Gérard Jugnot.

Gallery

Interior of the church

City Hall from 1590

Morteau, overlooking the Doubs