Gy (Haute-Saône)
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| region | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | |
| Department | Haute-Saône | |
| Arrondissement | Vesoul | |
| Canton | Marnay | |
| Community association | Monts de Gy | |
| Coordinates | 47 ° 24 ' N , 5 ° 49' E | |
| height | 198-380 m | |
| surface | 24.60 km 2 | |
| Residents | 1,049 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 43 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 70700 | |
| INSEE code | 70282 | |
| Website | http://www.mairie-gy.fr/ | |
 Castle of Gy |
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Gy is a municipality in the French department of Haute-Saône in the region Bourgogne Franche-Comté .
geography
Gy is located at an altitude of 234 m above sea level, 17 kilometers east of Gray and about 25 kilometers northwest of the city of Besançon (as the crow flies). The town extends in the southwest of the department, at the west foot of the heights of the Monts de Gy , on the edge of the basin of the Saône .
The surface of the 24.60 km² large municipal area comprises a section of the undulating landscape between the river valleys of Saône and Ognon . The area is naturally divided into two parts. The north-western part is occupied by a basin, a so-called alluvial plain , which is an average of 200 m. It is drained by the Morte , which marks the northern boundary of the municipality, to the west to the Saône. The fertile soils are mainly used for agriculture. In the far west is the extensive wooded area of the Bois de Vaivre .
The terrain initially rises very slowly towards the southeast. An approximately 150 m high step leads to the heights of the Monts de Gy . The ridge of the Bois de Natoy rises directly southeast of Gy , on which the highest point of Gy is reached at 380 m. Further to the southeast follow the heights of the Bois de Plumont (up to 370 m) and the forest of the Grands Bois de Gy (up to 375 m). This plateau shows no surface watercourses because the rainwater seeps into the karstified subsoil. From a geological and tectonic point of view, the Monts de Gy consist of an alternating layer of calcareous and sandy-marly sediments that were deposited in the Middle and Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous periods .
The settlement of La Charmotte (215 m) in the plain north of the town belongs to Gy . Neighboring municipalities of Gy are Citey and Vellefrey-et-Vellefrange in the north, Bucey-lès-Gy and Gézier-et-Fontenelay in the east, Autoreille and Charcenne in the south and Choye in the west.
history
The municipality of Gy was settled very early. Remains of a settlement from the Hallstatt period have been excavated and there is a tumulus in the Bois de Plumont . There was also a camp site here during Roman times.
Gy was first mentioned in a document in 1049. In the Middle Ages, the place belonged to the Free County of Burgundy and in it to the area of the Bailliage d'Amont . In the 11th century, the archbishops of Besançon built a castle in Gy and thus consolidated their rule in this region, which lasted until the French Revolution. The place developed into a small medieval castle town. In 1348 Gy was granted city rights. During the time of the French King Henry IV , the town was occupied by troops under Louis de Beauvau in 1595. Together with the Franche-Comté , Gy finally came to France with the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678. It was the capital of the canton of Gy, which was dissolved in 2015, in the arrondissement of Vesoul . Today Gy is the administrative seat of the community association Communauté de communes des Monts de Gy (founded in 1999).
Attractions
Gy has retained its late medieval townscape and has been awarded the “Petite Cité Comtoise de Caractère” label. While the upper town (Bourg-Dessus) is predominantly characterized by town houses from the 17th and 18th centuries and some late Gothic houses, the lower town (Ville Basse) is characterized by buildings from the 19th century.
The most prominent building and most important attraction of Gy is the castle, which belonged to the Archbishops of Besançon. The original construction dates from the 12th century. In the course of time numerous renovations and reconstructions have been undertaken, so that the castle today shows the Renaissance style . A major renovation took place between 1755 and 1770. With the French Revolution, the palace came into state ownership. From 1850 to 1974 a college was housed in the central part; Since then, the building has been privately owned, but can be visited from April to September 18 (except Tuesdays).
The town church of Saint-Symphorien was rebuilt in the 18th century. It has a rich interior, including a baptismal font from the 15th century and richly carved altars, furniture and wall paintings from the 18th century. On the road to Gray is the 18th century Saint-Symphorien chapel with a 14th century statue of the Madonna and other statues dating from the 17th century.
Other important buildings to be mentioned are the Mairie (town hall) in the neoclassical style of the early 19th century and the monumental fountain from 1830 on the Place de la République. Its capital is supported by four large pillars. Remains of the town's former fortifications have been preserved. Gy has a wine museum.
population
With 1,049 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) Gy is one of the smaller municipalities in the Haute-Saône department. The highest population was registered around 1830, when Gy counted almost 3000 people. Subsequently, the population decreased continuously (1886 still 2,035 inhabitants). A stabilization in the range between 900 and 1000 people was achieved from 1960. Only recently has there been a slight increase in the population.
| Population development | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2009 |
| Residents | 987 | 936 | 966 | 950 | 943 | 1,018 | 1,044 |
Economy and Infrastructure
For a long time Gy was a town that was characterized by trade and commerce as well as the processing of agricultural products from the surrounding area. Today Gy is a small center that takes on central local functions for the surrounding region. There are various small and medium-sized businesses, mainly in the metal processing, precision engineering and automotive industries.
The village is well developed in terms of traffic. It is on the main D474 road from Gray to Vesoul . Through a local bypass, the city center is relieved of through traffic. Other road connections exist with Pesmes , Fresne-Saint-Mamès and Pin . The closest connection to the A36 motorway is around 28 km away.
