Vuillafans

Vuillafans is a commune in the French department Doubs in the Franche -Comté.

Geography

Vuillafans is located on 352 m above sea level, 7 km southeast of Ornans and about 24 km southeast of the city of Besançon (air line). The village is located in the Jura, in the valley of the Loue, which is deeply incised into the surrounding plateau.

The area of ​​6.14 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the western French Jura. The central part of the area is occupied by the valley of the Loue. The river flows here in a slightly tortuous passage through a maximum of one kilometer wide flat alluvial plain from southeast to northwest. The erosion is approximately 300 m deep into the surrounding plateau. The steep valley sides of the Loue and their short tributaries are various places crowned at the upper edge of striking rock walls and projections of a resistant layer of lime. The parish boundary runs mostly on the edge of the plateau above this rock band. In the southwest area of ​​the municipality extends to the edge of the height of the Champ Roy, on the 721 meters, the highest elevation of Vuillafans is achieved. The eastern boundary is located at the edge of the plateau of Échevannes. With a narrow corner of the communal land extends north to the erosion valley of the Ruisseau de Vaux.

Neighboring communities of Vuillafans are Montgesoye and Lavans- Vuillafans in the north, Échevannes in the east, Lods and Longeville in the south and Château Vieux- les -Fosses in the West.

History

On the projections above the village were in the Middle Ages, two important castles that were often involved in disputes against each other. On the left side of the valley of the Loue is the Château Vieux, which was built in the 11th century by the Lords of Montgesoye and appointed as the new center of their rule. The Châteauneuf was built in the 12th century to the east of Loue and belonged to a branch of the lords of Montgesoye - Durnes. In the shadow of these two castles is Vuillafans, which is first mentioned in the 12th century, developed into a small market town on the salt route from Besancon to Pontarlier. During the Thirty Years War, the Châteauneuf was destroyed in 1639 by Swedish troops. Together with the Franche -Comté Vuillafans came with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678 to France. Were very early along the Loue businesses down that were dependent on hydropower, such as mills, nail forges and tanneries. Today Vuillafans is a member of the 24 localities comprehensive community association Communauté de communes du Pays d' Ornans.

Attractions

The three-nave church was built in the 15th and 16th centuries in Gothic styles. It has a rich interior, including wall paintings and statues from the 16th century, a main altar, pulpit and choir stalls from the 18th century. In the village many citizens 'and farmers' houses are preserved in the characteristic style of the Franche -Comté from the 16th to 18th centuries. One of the oldest houses is one of the former mansion La Forteresse from the 14th century. About the Loue performs a three-arched stone bridge, which was built in the 17th century. The old flour mill with its waterwheel is also worth seeing. From Châteauneuf, which was abandoned in the 17th century, the ruins are preserved.

Population

With 691 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Vuillafans is one of the small communities of the department of Doubs. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century (1881 1323 people were still counted ), a population growth was recorded in recent years.

Economy and infrastructure

Vuillafans has long been an embossed by agriculture and small businesses village. The water power of the Loue was used early for the operation of mills and nail forging. Today, there are some operations of small and medium enterprises, mainly in the sectors of iron and copper processing, as well as various craft shops and retail companies. Some employed persons are also commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work.

The village has good transport links. It lies on the secondary road D67, which runs from Ornans to Pontarlier. Further road links exist with Lavans- Vuillafans and Longeville.

Personalities

Vuillafans is the birthplace of Balthasar Gérard (1562-1584), the assassin of William of Orange ( leader in the Dutch War of Independence ).