Mijoux
| Mijoux | ||
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| region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Ain | |
| Arrondissement | Gex | |
| Canton | Thoiry | |
| Community association | Pays de Gex | |
| Coordinates | 46 ° 22 ′ N , 6 ° 0 ′ E | |
| height | 866-1,614 m | |
| surface | 22.00 km 2 | |
| Residents | 341 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 16 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 01410 | |
| INSEE code | 01247 | |
| Website | www.mijoux.fr | |
 Village center |
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Mijoux is a French commune in the Ain department in the region of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes .
geography
Mijoux is located at 992 m , six kilometers northwest of Gex and about 22 km north-northwest of the city of Geneva (as the crow flies). The village extends in the French Jura in the long valley Combe de Mijoux , which is drained by the Valserine , at the northern foot of the Col de la Faucille pass . Together with the neighboring municipality of Lélex, it forms the Monts Jura winter sports area.
The area of the 22 km² large municipal area includes a section of the High Jura. A large part of the left (south-eastern) valley slope of the Combe de Mijoux belongs to the municipality as a narrow strip. This slope is mainly forested, has a steep incline and is partially crossed by ledges. In the area of the Col de la Faucille ( 1320 m ) and the south-west bordering Petit Montrond ( 1534 m ) and Mont Rond (with 1596 m the highest elevation of Mijoux) the border runs along the watershed on the ridge. Otherwise it is shifted towards Mijoux and lies above the steep slope. Above around 1400 m there are extensive mountain pastures, which are interspersed with typical karst features such as sinkholes and cart fields . The municipality is part of the Upper Jura Regional Nature Park (French: Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura ). In the northwest, the Valserine stream always marks the municipal boundary. This flows through a Juralängstal with a relatively wide valley floor, but steep slopes to the southwest to the Rhone .
In addition to the original location, Mijoux also includes various hamlets and farms, including:
- Les Mars ( 900 m ) in the Combe de Mijoux on the northern outskirts of Lélex
- Septfontaines ( 904 m ) in the Combe de Mijoux at the west foot of the Colomby de Gex
Neighboring municipalities of Mijoux are Lajoux in the north, Divonne-les-Bains , Vesancy , Gex, Échenevex and Crozet in the east, Lélex in the south and Septmoncel les Molunes with Les Molunes in the west.
history
In the 8th century, the area around Mijoux was cleared and made arable by monks from the Saint-Claude monastery. Mijoux has belonged to the Lords of Gex since the Middle Ages . Along with this rule, the village came under the sovereignty of the Counts of Savoy in the 14th century . Then Mijoux shared the checkered history of the Pays de Gex , with which it finally came to France after the conclusion of the Treaty of Lyon in 1601. It was not until 1910 that Mijoux was separated from Gex and raised to an independent municipality.
Population development
| year | Residents |
|---|---|
| 1962 | 288 |
| 1968 | 227 |
| 1975 | 191 |
| 1982 | 200 |
| 1990 | 258 |
| 1999 | 312 |
| 2007 | 384 |
| 2016 | 340 |
With 341 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017), Mijoux is one of the small communities in the Ain department. After the population had decreased significantly in the first half of the 20th century, strong population growth was recorded again, especially at the beginning of the 1980s. Since then, the number of inhabitants has almost doubled.
Economy and Infrastructure
Mijoux was a village dominated by agriculture and forestry until well into the 20th century . Today there are some local small businesses, including wood processing. In the meantime the village has turned into an important winter sports resort in the Jura. In the area of the Col de la Faucille, the slopes are accessible by two cable cars and several ski lifts. The place is also the starting point for extensive Jura hikes in summer. A golf course has been set up in the Combe de Mijoux.
The village is very well developed in terms of traffic. It is located on the D936 departmental road, which leads from the Col de la Faucille to Saint-Claude and thus represents an important Jura crossing. Further road connections exist with Les Rousses and via Lélex with Bellegarde-sur-Valserine .
Attractions
The church dates from the 19th century, but is located a few steps outside of Mijoux on the other side of the Valserine and is therefore already in the municipality of Lajoux.
See also: List of Monuments historiques in Mijoux
