Valay

Valay is a commune in Haute -Saône in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Valay is located at an altitude of 216 m above sea level, 9 km northeast of Pesmes and about 31 km west-northwest of the city of Besançon ( straight line ). The village extends to the south of the department, east of Saôneebene in the headwaters of the creek Résie.

The area of ​​17:40 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the gently undulating countryside between the valleys of Ognon in the south and Saône in the north. Valay is located in a basin, in which arises the Résie and ensures the drainage west to Ognon. Flanked the valley on both sides of a plateau lying at an average 230 m. It is composed of Tertiary and Cretaceous sediments and is primarily used for agricultural purposes. The large clearing island of Valay is bounded by vast forests: in the west of the Bois de la face, in the north of the Bois d' Arsans, in the east of the Bois de la Feole and south of the Bois de Riand. Here at 266 m is reached the highest elevation of Valay here. With a narrow tip, the municipality's area extends to the southwest via the Talniederung the Ruisseau de Sainte -Cécile into the Gros Bois.

Neighboring communities by Valay are Lieucourt, Arsans, Champtonnay and Venère in the north, Chancey in the east, Motey visits, Montagney, Chaumercenne and La Résie -Saint -Martin in the south and Pesmes Chevigney and Vadans in the West.

History

Remains of two Roman estates indicate that the municipality of Valay was inhabited very early. In the Middle Ages Valay belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in the territory of the Bailliage d' amont. The local government had held the Lords of Pesmes, which were part of the territory for the establishment of the monastery Corneux. Together with the Franche -Comté Valay came with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 definitively to France. In the 18th and 19th century, the ironworks of Grand Valay made ​​for an economic upswing of the town which led to a peak in the population of around 1,200 people ( 1870 ). With the inauguration of the railway line from Marnay by Gray in 1910 the village was connected to the French railroad network. The operation of the line, however, was reinstated. Today Valay is a member of the 18 localities comprehensive community association Communauté de communes du Val de Pesmes.

Attractions

The three-nave church of Valay village was rebuilt in the 18th century and has a rich interior. From the former hermitage Sainte -Cécile only a few remains are visible. From the 18th century comes a seat of power. Of the former ironworks factory halls, a blast furnace and workers' houses have been preserved.

Population

With 685 inhabitants ( 2009) Valay one of the smaller towns in the Haute- Saône. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1881 1005 people were still counted ), a population growth was recorded since the early 1990s again.

Economy and infrastructure

Valay has long been a predominantly by agriculture (crops, orchards and livestock ) and forestry embossed village. The iron industry experienced at the beginning of the 20th century, its gradual decline. Today there are various businesses of the local small business sector, including construction, plastics processing and in precision engineering. In recent decades the village has been transformed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village is situated away from the larger passage axes on a secondary road that leads from Gray after Ougney. The nearest links to the A36 motorway is located at a distance of about 20 km. Further road links exist with Vadans, Chevigney, La Résie -Saint- Martin, Chancey, Venère and Lieucourt.