Ornans

Ornans is a municipality with 4223 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the French department Doubs and capital of the canton of the same name. It lies between Besançon (25 km north-west ) and Pontarlier (36 km southeast)

The village is situated in the picturesque valley of the Loue and is a starting point for a canoe trip on the river.

History

Ornans is first mentioned in a deed of division of 1151. Our own mayor got the place in 1576 at the instigation of Nicolas de Granvelle Perrenot and his son Antoine Cardinal, who were both ministers under Emperor Charles V. Under Louis XIV Ornans was then an administrative unit with its own police and tax jurisdiction. Since the aftermath of the French Revolution, the city is capital of the canton of the same name.

For the industrial development in the 19th century Ornans benefited from its location on the Loue, whose hydropower has been exploited many. Part of the old water wheel can still be seen today. Another important operation was the distillery Cusenier, one at the time known distillery, which mainly produced cherry brandy and absinthe 1874-1938. Today, Alstom is one of the most important employers in the place (including production of electric motors for the TGV ).

Attractions

Besides the church of 1548 the ruins of the castle (13th century) with the chapel Saint -Georges from the 16th century are noteworthy. The birthplace of the painter Gustave Courbet is now a museum. Another museum is dedicated to the fishing industry. The old town at the Loue with nobility and town houses from the 15th to the 18th century and the bridge Grand Pont also deserve attention.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Otto IV (c. 1248-1303 ), the last Count Palatine of Burgundy, who was born at Castle Ornans.
• Nicolas de Perrenot Granvelle (1484-1550), statesman, father Antoine de Granvelle Perrenot
• Pierre Vernier (1580-1637), mathematician who discovered a measurement method named after him.
• Clément Joseph Tissot (1747-1826), military surgeon and pioneer of physiotherapy
• Gustave Courbet (1819-1877), painter, born at Ornans and buried.
• Robert Fernier (1895-1977), painter, initiator of Courbet museum in Ornans.

Community partnerships

Ornans maintains partnerships with

• La Tour -de- Peilz in the canton of Vaud; partnering with the place of death of the painter Courbet exists since 1982.
• Huefingen in Baden- Württemberg since 1978.
• Cantley in the province of Quebec, since 2000.