Sergy (Ain)
| Sergy | ||
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| region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Ain | |
| Arrondissement | Gex | |
| Canton | Thoiry | |
| Community association | Pays de Gex | |
| Coordinates | 46 ° 15 ′ N , 6 ° 0 ′ E | |
| height | 429–1,702 m | |
| surface | 9.46 km 2 | |
| Residents | 2,084 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 220 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 01630 | |
| INSEE code | 01401 | |
| Website | www.sergy.fr | |
_-_Mairie.JPG) Mairie Sergy |
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Sergy is a French commune in the Ain department in the region of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes .
geography
Sergy is located at 475 m , about 13 kilometers west-northwest of the city of Geneva (as the crow flies). The former farming village extends in the Pays de Gex in a promising elevated position at the foot of the Jura below the Crêt de la Neige , on the northwestern edge of the Geneva basin near the state border with Switzerland .
The area of the 9.46 km² municipal area covers a section of the Pays de Gex. The area is divided into two naturally very different parts. The south-eastern part is occupied by the fertile plain at the foot of the Jura, with the eastern border running along the Allondon . This flows with several turns through a wide valley low. From the plain of the Pays de Gex the slope rises gently towards the Jura and forms a plateau at the foot of the Jura.
To the northwest, the community area extends as a narrow strip over the steep, densely wooded slope to the broad ridge of the foremost Jura range. The slope is subdivided by various erosion channels. On the Grand Crêt , one of the highest peaks of the High Jura, the highest peak of Sergy is reached at 1702 m . Above around 1500 m there are extensive mountain pastures, which, however, are also interspersed with typical karst features such as sinkholes and impassable cart fields . The municipality is part of the Upper Jura Regional Nature Park (French: Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura ).
In addition to the original location, Sergy also includes various hamlets and new housing developments, namely:
- Sergy Gare ( 454 m ) on the edge of the Allondon valley near the former train station
- Sergy Dessus ( 498 m ) at the foot of the Jura above the village
- Les Molles ( 520 m ) at the foot of the Jura above the village
Sergy's neighboring communities are Crozet in the north, Saint-Genis-Pouilly in the east, Thoiry in the south and Lélex in the west.
history
Sergy is first mentioned in a document in 1110 under the name Sergiacus . Over time, the spelling changed via Sergye (1261), Sergier (1319), Sergie (1332) and Sergiez (1528) to the current name Sergy, which has been in writing since 1744. The place name goes back to the Gallo-Roman personal name Sergius and means something like Sergius' estate (Sergiacum).
Since the Middle Ages Sergy formed its own small lordship that belonged to the noble family de Sergier. In the 14th century the village came under the sovereignty of the Counts of Savoy . Sergy then 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.
Attractions
The parish church of Saint-Nicolas was built in 1779. The Château de Sergy originally dates from the 13th century , and was largely destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in a new form in the 19th century.
population
| Population development | |
|---|---|
| year | Residents |
| 1962 | 271 |
| 1968 | 297 |
| 1975 | 605 |
| 1982 | 946 |
| 1990 | 1201 |
| 1999 | 1247 |
| 2007 | 1571 |
| 2016 | 2045 |
With 2084 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) Sergy is one of the smaller communities in the Ain department. The population has grown significantly since the mid-1960s. Particularly strong growth rates were registered during the 1970s. During this time the population has tripled. Numerous new single-family houses were built outside the old town center.
Economy and Infrastructure
Until well into the 20th century, Sergy was a predominantly agricultural village. Today there are some small and medium-sized businesses. In the meantime the village has turned into a residential community. Many workers are commuters who work in the larger towns of the Pays de Gex or as cross-border commuters in the agglomeration of Geneva.
The village is located away from the major thoroughfares on a connecting road that leads from Saint-Genis-Pouilly to Thoiry. Another road connection is with Crozet. The closest connection to the Swiss A1 motorway is around 9 km away. The former railway line , which ran from Bellegarde-sur-Valserine to Divonne-les-Bains and also served Sergy, was closed for passenger traffic (the section between Bellegarde and Crozet is still used for freight traffic). A bus line operates in their place today.
Parish partnership
Sergy has had a community partnership with the Italian community of Ponzone since 2004 .
