Provence, Switzerland
View over Provence on Lake Neuchâtel
Provence is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
Geography
Provence is located at 778 m above sea level. Level, 14 km north-east of the district capital Yverdon- les- Bains ( straight line ). The farming village extends on the southeast slope of Soliat chain, above the valley section of the stream La Vaux, in a scenic location around 350 m above the lake level of Lake Neuchâtel.
The area of 31.8 km ² large municipality area includes a portion of the northeastern Vaud Jura. The area extends from the Middle Jurassic slope to the west and north to the broad crest of the Soliat chain that forms the northeast continuation of Chasseron chain. The southern boundary runs in the valley section of the stream La Vaux. In the west the wide shell belongs in the headwaters of this stream between Montaubert in the south and Tête à l'Ours ( 1,309 m above sea level. M. ) and Le Truchet ( 1'369 m above sea level. M. ) in the north to Provence. Located northwest of the crest of the Soliat chain lies the plateau Nouvelle Censière that is already in the catchment area of the Areuse. To the north of the municipality of soil over the top of Soliat enough ( with 1,463 m above sea level. M. the highest elevation of Provence) to the edge of the rock arena of the Creux du Van. On the crest of numerous sinkholes and extensive Jura high grazing pastures with the typical tall spruce trees that are either individually or in groups. From the municipality surface 1997 2 % came from settlements, 43 % of forest and woody plants and 55 % to agriculture.
At Provence include Hofsiedlungen Les Prises (920 m above sea level. M. ) on slopes of the Jura above the village and Les Rochats ( 1'164 m above sea level. M. ) on the southern slope of the Truchet as well as numerous individual farms that are scattered through the Jura hills. The neighboring villages of Provence are south-southeast Mutrux, in the south Concise, in the south-southwest Bonvillars and southwest Tévenon in the canton of Vaud and in the northwest and north, Val -de- Travers, north-northeast Gorgier, in the east Montalchez and southeast Fresens in the canton of Neuchatel.
Population
With 354 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Provence is one of the small communities of the Canton of Vaud. Of the 96.2 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 3.0 % and 0.3 % Italian-speaking (as of 2000). The population of Provence in 1880 amounted to around 1000 inhabitants, 1900 to 815 inhabitants. After that, the village suffered by strong emigration to 1980 a decline to 300 inhabitants, since a slight upward trend was observed again.
Economy
In Provence, the economic structure is still dominated by agriculture. In the area of the village farming and fruit growing something is operated while predominate the cattle and dairy industry of the Jura heights. For more jobs in our local small businesses. Since Provence has developed in recent years into a residential community, many employed workers working abroad in the larger communities along the Lake Neuchâtel.
Traffic
The community is located off the major thoroughfares. The main access is from Saint- Aubin- Sauges or by Concise. A local road leads over the Jura ridge to Couvet in the Val de Travers. The nearest links to the motorway A5 ( Yverdon- Neuchatel ) is located approximately 4 km from the town center. By Postbus course, which runs from Gorgier to Provence, the village is connected to the public transport network. At times, also runs a direct course to Yverdon.
History
An early settlement of the municipal area of Provence is attested by the discovery of remains of iron works from the 4th to the 6th century. The first written mention of the village was carried out in 1340 under the name Provency. In the period following the spellings Provincia ( 1359 ), Provence and Provencey ( 1378 ) and Provenica ( 1403 ) published. The place name probably derives from the Latin proventus ( harvest, yield).
Since the first mention of Provence belonged to two-thirds of the place to the reign Grandson and a third of the Counts of Neuchatel. Even before 1400 the whole village came to the Lords of Grandson. After 1476 Grandson was a bailiff under the general rule of Bern and Fribourg. After the collapse of the ancien régime Provence belonged from 1798 to 1803 during the Helvetic Republic to the canton of Geneva, who came up with the enactment of the Act of Mediation in the canton of Vaud.
Attractions
The church was first mentioned in 1180 already in 1540 and 1631 destroyed by fire. Today's Reformed Church was built in 1701 and completely restored in 1905. In the center some characteristic farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries have been preserved.
Personalities
Brother Roger was born in Provence.