Roulans

Roulans is a commune in the French department Doubs in the Franche -Comté. It is the capital of the canton in the Arrondissement Roulans Besançon.

Geography

Roulans is located on 344 m, 11 km west-southwest of Baume- les -Dames and approximately 18 km east-northeast of the city of Besançon ( straight line ). The village is located in the rolling countryside between the river valleys of Doubs and Ognon, in a longitudinal trough north of Doubstals at the northern foot of the Pic d' Aigremont.

The area of ​​8.31 km ² municipal area includes a portion in the extreme north- western ridges of the Jura. The central part of the area is occupied by a longitudinal depression, the average is Roulans a width of about one kilometer and reached to 340 m. It is the main settlement area and consisted mainly of arable and meadow land. In the north of this trough is flanked by a wooded ridge ( Bois des Perrières and Bois du Poirier, to 437 m). The southern limit of the longitudinal furrow is marked by the sharp ridge of the Montagne Notre Dame d'Aigremont, which has steep limestone cliffs Asked in different places. This is in geological- tectonic respects represents the northern leg of an anticline whose vault was broken and eroded away by the river Doubs. With 554 m is reached at the summit of Pic d' Aigremont the highest elevation of Roulans. To the east and southeast, the municipality's area extends over the not as sharp protruding ridge down to the terrain in the incised Doubs Valley.

The community Roulans consists of several districts and hamlets, namely:

• Grand Roulans (344 m) in the longitudinal recess of Roulans
• Roulans l' Église (345 m) in the longitudinal recess of Roulans at the northern foot of the Pic d' Aigremont
• Petit Roulans (320 m) in the longitudinal recess of Roulans at the beginning of a down leading to the Doubs gully
• Les Trouillots (385 m) on the inclined south slope of the ridge of the Bois du Poirier

Neighboring communities of Roulans are Vennans, Saint- Hilaire and Breconchaux in the north, Ougney - Douvot in the east, the south and Laissey Deluz and Pouligney - Lusans in the West.

History

Is first mentioned Roulans in the 10th century under the name rolling. Already at that time insisted on the strategically located Pic d' Aigremont a castle. At the beginning of the 13th century, the lords of Roulans left little to the east rebuild on the ridge above Petit Roulans their headquarters. Through marriage the rule came in the 13th century to the powerful House of Vienne. An important offshoot of this family was Jean de Vienne, who spent his youth at the castle of Roulans and served during the Hundred Years War as influential French admiral. Together with the Franche -Comté Roulans came with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. The castle was destroyed during the French Revolution.

Attractions

The church of Saint -Michel was inaugurated in 1744 and completely restored in 1846. At the site of the former Château d' Aigremont the chapel Notre -Dame- d'Aigremont was built in the 13th century. From the Château de Roulans are the ruins, originally dating back to the 13th century, preserved.

Population

With 1123 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Roulans one of the smaller communities of the department of Doubs. Once the population has consistently had in the first half of the 20th century in the area of ​​360-420 people, a continuous population growth was recorded since the early 1960s. Since then, the population has more than doubled.

Economy and infrastructure

Roulans was until well into the 20th century a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. In addition, there are now various operations of the local small business sector and the retail trade, but no industry. Roulans is home to the Centre d' Insémination et d' Élevage du Doubs et du Territoire de Belfort ( CEIA ), a center for the artificial insemination and breeding of Montbéliard cattle. Meanwhile, the village has also changed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who engage in the agglomeration Besançon their work.

The village has good transport links. It lies on the main road N83, which runs from Besançon to Montbéliard. The nearest links to the A36 motorway is located at a distance of about 9 km. Further road links exist with Pouligney - Lusans, Laissey and Vennans. The nearest railway station on the railway line Besançon - Montbeliard is located in the neighboring Laissey.