Villes

Ville is a commune in the French department of Ain ​​, in the Rhône -Alpes.

Geography

Ville is located at 550 m above sea level. M., about four kilometers southwest of the town of Bellegarde -sur -Valserine (air line). The farming village stretches in the basin of Bellegarde, a scenic location on the plateau of Michaille, about 220 m above the Talniederung the Rhone, at the eastern foot of the Plateau de Retord, a high plateau of the French Jura.

The area of ​​9.21 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the Rhone Valley. The eastern part of the municipality is occupied by the plateau of the Michaille which is on average 520 m. It descends gradually from the east and is broken down by the valleys of short tributaries of the Rhone, but not enough of communal land down to the Rhone Valley. To the west, the municipality's area covers a narrow strip on the steep slopes of the Jura to the Plateau de Retord on which with 1322 m the highest peak of Villes is achieved.

Neighboring communities of Villes are Châtillon -en- Michaille in the north, Bellegarde- sur -Valserine in the east, the south and Billiat Le Grand- Abergement in the West.

History

The village developed in a priory founded by Nantua monastery in the 11th century. Is first mentioned Villes in 1144 under the name Villa in Michalia. Over time, the spelling on Villaz, Ville ( 1650), Villas en Michaille (1734 ) transformed to the present name, which is on record in 1808. Until the early 20th century, the names Ville and Ville -en- Michaille were used. The place name comes from the Latin word villa (country house, village ).

Attractions

From the former priory church is preserved in the Romanesque and Gothic styles. It was restored several times and redesigned and has, among other Gothic windows and fragments of stained glass from the 15th century. Villes also has a seat of power and imposing farmhouses.

Population

With 374 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Ville is one of the small communities of the department of Ain. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century, high population growth has been recorded since the early 1960s again.

Economy and infrastructure

Villes was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by farming village. In addition, there are today some of the local small business enterprises. Meanwhile, the village has been transformed into a residential community. Many working population commuters who engage in the larger towns in the area, mainly in neighboring Bellegarde- sur -Valserine their work.

The place is a good infrastructure, although located off the major thoroughfares. Road links exist with Bellegarde- sur -Valserine, Châtillon -en- Michaille and Billiat. The nearest links to the A40 motorway is located at a distance of about five kilometers.

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