Samognat
Samognat is a commune in the French department of Ain, in the Rhône -Alpes.
Geography
Samognat is located on 437 m above sea level. M., about six kilometers west of the city Oyonnax (air line). The farming village extends north Bugey, on a ridge east of Oignin in the Jura, in a valley, in which the Oignin is dammed by the dam of Moux.
The area of 14.01 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the southern French Jura. The southwestern part of the area is occupied by about 2 km wide valley of Samognat which forms a syncline the Jura folds. In this valley there is the elongated reservoir of Moux. To the east, the municipality area extends over a thickly wooded slope up to the ridge ( Bois de Samognat ) that separates the Jura longitudinal valleys of Oignin and Ange ( Oyonnax ).
Below Samognat overcomes the Oignin with several waterfalls a height level and then flows to its mouth in the Ain in a deep valley. In a narrow strip of the communal land extends northward and encompasses the steep eastern flank of the valley of the Ain Oignin respectively. With 731 m above sea level. M. is achieved on the ridge of the Bois de Diesse the highest elevation of Samognat. In the far north has Samognat share of the Lac de Coiselet, a reservoir of Ain.
To Samognat addition to the actual site includes various hamlets and farm groups, including ( from south to north ):
- Condamine de la Belloire (420 m above sea level. M. ) on the southern edge of the valley of Samognat
- Les Combelles (470 m above sea level. M. ) then east to the village
- Arfontaine (560 m above sea level. M. ) on a ridge on the eastern side of the valley of the Oignin
- Royère (370 m above sea level. M. ) on the eastern slope of the valley of the Oignin
Neighboring communities of Samognat are Coisia and Dortan in the north, Oyonnax and Géovreisset in the east, the south and Izernore Matafelon -Granges in the West.
History
Is first mentioned Samognat in 1158 under the name Samonia. Over time, the spelling on Samonies (1250 ), Samogniacus ( 1351 ) and Samogniaz ( 1500) transformed to Samogna (1650). Since the 11th century Samognat was the property of the lords of Thoire -Villars 1402 and came under the suzerainty of the Counts of Savoy. The Treaty of Lyon reached the village in 1601 to France.
Attractions
The village church of Samognat was originally built in the Gothic style, but later changed several times.
Population
With 704 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Samognat one of the small communities of the department of Ain. After the population had decreased in the first half of the 20th century (1891 310 persons were still counted ), a significant population increase has been recorded since the early 1960s again. Since then, the population has increased almost sixfold.
Economy and infrastructure
Samognat until the 20th century, a predominantly coined by agriculture, especially dairy farming and animal husbandry, and forestry village. In the first half of the 20th century can be at Oignin various operations down that were dependent on hydropower, including mills, a wood turning, a comb and a button factory. Today there are only a few plants of the local small businesses, as well as hydroelectric power stations on Oignin and Ain. Meanwhile, the village has been transformed into a residential community. Many workers are commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.
The village is located off the major thoroughfares on a secondary road that leads from Oyonnax after Thoirette. Further road links exist with Izernore, Chancia and Coisia. The nearest links to the motorway A404 ( Saint -Martin- du- Frêne - Oyonnax ) is located at a distance of about eight kilometers.