Seyssel (Haute-Savoie)
| Seyssel | ||
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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 | 45 ° 58 ′ N , 5 ° 50 ′ E | |
| height | 250-937 m | |
| surface | 16.86 km 2 | |
| Residents | 2,325 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 138 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 74910 | |
| INSEE code | 74269 | |
.jpg) Aerial photo of Seyssel (right), left: Seyssel (Ain) |
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Seyssel is a French commune in the department of Haute-Savoie in the region of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes . It belongs to the canton of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois in the arrondissement of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois .
geography
Seyssel is located at 265 m , about 24 kilometers west of the city of Annecy (as the crow flies). The market town extends on the eastern bank of the Rhone opposite Seyssel in the Ain department, in the broad valley between the Grand Colombier in the west and the Montagne des Princes in the east, in the Genevois .
The area of the 16.86 km² municipal area covers a section of the western Genevois. The western border runs along the Rhône, which flows here in a wide valley from north to south and narrows significantly in the Seyssel area. The Rhône is dammed both below and above Seyssel (Barrage de Seyssel). The Usses flows into the Rhône north of the market town. From the course of the Rhône and the Usses rivers, the municipality extends eastward over a wide valley and the adjacent slopes to the predominantly wooded ridge of the Montagne des Princes , on which the highest elevation of Seyssel is reached at 937 m . This mountain is separated from the southern continuation, the Montagne du Gros Foug, by the deeply incised clus of the Fier . The Fier and its gorge form the southern boundary of the municipal area.
In addition to the actual town center, Seyssel also includes several hamlet settlements and farms, including:
- Chavagny ( 300 m ) above the confluence of the Usses and Rhône
- Cologny ( 400 m ) on the south-eastern slope of the Usses valley
- Vallod ( 440 m ) on the lower north slope of the Montagne des Princes
- Curty ( 500 m ) on the lower north slope of the Montagne des Princes
- Pologny ( 360 m ) on the eastern slope of the Rhône valley
- Les Côtes ( 430 m ) on a terrace on the western slope of the Montagne des Princes
- Prairod ( 460 m ) on the western slope of the Montagne des Princes
- Vens ( 350 m ) on a ledge between the Rhône and the Fier
The neighboring communities of Seyssel are Bassy and Desingy in the north, Droisy and Vallières-sur-Fier in the east, Motz in the south and Seyssel and Corbonod in the west.
history
The municipality of Seyssel was already settled during Roman times. The Gallo-Roman estate of Condate was located near the hamlet of Vens . Numerous wall foundations and traces of a Roman road have been preserved from this time.
The village was first mentioned in 1096 under the name Saisel . The names Saysel (1155), Saysellum (1273), Saxaillo (1282), Sayssel (1293) appeared later , and the spelling Seyssel has been handed down from 1345 .
A priory was founded in Seyssel in the 11th century. Already in the 13th century the place received certain rights of freedom and developed into an important port and transshipment point on the Rhône. With the construction of the first bridge at that time, Seyssel became a regionally important trading town. The division of Seyssel was sealed in 1760 by a treaty between France and Savoy. The smaller part to the west of the Rhône remained with France, while the eastern part came to Savoy.
Attractions
The 17th century church of Saint-Blaise (Blasius) was restored and redesigned in the 19th century. The monumental statue of Notre-Dame-du-Rhône stands on the suspension bridge from 1838, which connects the two Seyssels. In 1987 a new bridge was opened over the Rhône south of Seyssel. Other sights worth mentioning are the Chapelle des Roches , the Château de Vens from the 18th century and the Musée du Bois .
population
With 2325 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) Seyssel is one of the smaller communities in the Haute-Savoie department. Since the beginning of the 1960s, various fluctuations in the number of inhabitants, which always moved in the range between 1500 and 1800 people, have been recorded.
| Population development | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2012 |
| Residents | 1,562 | 1,717 | 1,725 | 1,558 | 1,630 | 1,793 | 2,295 |
Economy and Infrastructure
For a long time Seyssel was characterized by agriculture and retail trade. There are larger wine-growing regions in the vicinity of Seyssel. In the past few decades, a commercial zone with various businesses, including construction and transport, has developed in the Rhône valley floor. Many workers are also commuters who work in the larger towns in the area.
The village is very well developed in terms of traffic. It is on the road from Saint-Julien-en-Genevois to Belley . There are other regional road connections with Bellegarde-sur-Valserine , Rumilly and Aix-les-Bains . The closest connection to the A40 motorway is around 15 km away. The train station on the Geneva - Lyon railway line is on the western side of the Rhône.
Community partnerships
Seyssel's partner municipalities are Damme in Flanders (Belgium) and Fregona in the Veneto region (Italy).
