Franclens
| Franclens | ||
|---|---|---|
|
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| region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Haute-Savoie | |
| Arrondissement | Saint-Julien-en-Genevois | |
| Canton | Saint-Julien-en-Genevois | |
| Community association | Usses and Rhône | |
| Coordinates | 46 ° 3 ' N , 5 ° 50' E | |
| height | 268-544 m | |
| surface | 5.37 km 2 | |
| Residents | 533 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 99 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 74910 | |
| INSEE code | 74130 | |
| Website | www.franclens.fr | |
Franclens is a French commune in the department of Haute-Savoie in the region of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes .
geography
Franclens is the westernmost municipality in the Haute-Savoie department. It is located at 483 m , near Bellegarde-sur-Valserine , about 28 kilometers northwest of the city of Annecy (as the crow flies). The farming village extends on a high plateau east of the Rhone valley , between the Jura and the Montagne de Vuache , in the Genevois .
The area of the 5.37 km² large municipality covers a section of the western Genevois. The western border is formed by the Rhône, which flows from north to south in a valley sunk almost 200 m deep into the surrounding plateaus. At the north-western edge of the area is the Génissiat dam (electricity generation), which dams the Rhône into a long lake. The community area extends from the course of the river over a steep slope to the high plateau adjacent to the east ( 500 m on average ), which is subdivided by several short erosion valleys that open towards the Rhône. The highest point in Franclens is reached in the Bois du Clos forest at 544 m .
In addition to the actual town center, Franclens also includes several hamlet settlements and farms, including:
- Le Frut ( 480 m ) on the Franclens plateau
- Chez Dérippaz ( 480 m ) on the Franclens plateau
Neighboring municipalities of Franclens are Saint-Germain-sur-Rhône in the north, Chêne-en-Semine in the east, Challonges in the south and Surjoux and Injoux-Génissiat in the west.
history
In the municipality of Franclens there are limestone quarries that were already exploited by the Romans. Franclens is first mentioned in a document in the Middle Ages under the name Franclin . The place name goes back to the Burgundian personal name Frankila . With the suffix -ens it means something like that of the Frankila people .
Attractions
The village church of Saint-Oyen dates from the 19th century. Ruins of the Château de Rebatère have been preserved.
population
| Population development | |
|---|---|
| year | Residents |
| 1962 | 209 |
| 1968 | 201 |
| 1975 | 191 |
| 1982 | 215 |
| 1990 | 305 |
| 1999 | 335 |
| 2004 | 357 |
With 533 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) Franclens is one of the small communities in the Haute-Savoie department. In the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, the number of inhabitants decreased continuously due to strong emigration (in 1861 there were still 290 inhabitants in Franclens). Since the mid-1970s, however, a significant increase in population has been recorded.
Economy and Infrastructure
Franclens is still a predominantly agricultural village today . Franclens is located in the Savoie wine-growing region . White wines made from the Altesse grape variety (locally called Roussette ) may be marketed under the protected designation of origin Roussette de Savoie . The AOC Vin de Savoie applies to white wines of other grape varieties and red wines .
There are also some local small businesses. A large number of those in employment are commuters who work in the larger towns in the area, particularly in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine .
The village is very well developed in terms of traffic. It is located on the departmental road that leads from Frangy to Génissiat. There are other road connections with Saint-Germain-sur-Rhône and Challonges. The closest connection to the A40 motorway is around 5 km away.
