Rapey

Rapey
region	Grand Est
Department	Vosges
Arrondissement	Epinal
Canton	Charms
Community association	Mirecourt Dompaire
Coordinates	48 ° 19 ′ N , 6 ° 15 ′ E Coordinates: 48 ° 19 ′ N , 6 ° 15 ′ E
height	300-406 m
surface	3.03 km 2
Residents	23 (January 1, 2017)
Population density	8 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code	88130
INSEE code	88374
	; Mairie Rapey

Rapey is a French commune in the Vosges department in the region of Grand Est with 23 inhabitants (1 January 2017). It belongs to the Arrondissement Épinal and the municipal association Mirecourt Dompaire, founded in 2017 .

geography

The municipality of Rapey is ten kilometers south of the small town of Charmes and about 22 kilometers northwest of Épinal in the hill country between the Moselle and Madon .

The municipal area of 3.03 km² includes the uppermost section of the Rulle valley including the source of the Colon tributary Rulle and the surrounding partially wooded hills, which reach the 400 m altitude mark in the north and southwest of the municipality. The small village of Rapey is sheltered from the wind below the Rulle spring at 350 m above sea level.

Rapey's neighboring communities are Ubexy in the northeast, Varmonzey in the east, Gugney-aux-Aulx in the southeast, Jorxey in the south and Bouxurulles in the northwest.

history

The name of the village first appeared in a document in 1353 as Rappey . Rapey belonged to the Bailiwick of Charmes, ecclesiastically (until today) to the parish of the neighboring parish Jorxey.

Population development

With 23 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) Rapey is one of the smallest communities in the Vosges department. After between 57 and 97 people were counted in the 19th century, the population decreased steadily, especially after the Second World War, and in 1954 fell below the 30-inhabitant mark, which has not been exceeded again since then.

year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006	2017
Residents	25th	25th	25th	21st	21st	18th	15th	23
Sources: Cassini and INSEE

Economy and Infrastructure

The Rapey Ward has no school or church. It has retained the original character of a purely farming village. In addition to farms that produce for their own use, there are four farms in the community (fruit growing, dairy farming, cattle breeding).

Rapey is located off the major roads of the nation. A dead end road leads from Rapey to the main road from Charmes to Dompaire (D 28). There are other narrow road connections to Bouxurulles and Jorxey . The two-lane national road 57 from Nancy to Épinal runs eleven kilometers east of Rapey (junction Nomexy ). The nearest stop is in Nomexy on the Nancy-Épinal- Remiremont railway line following the Moselle valley and operated by the TER Lorraine company.