Arbois

This article is about the commune in France. For other uses, see Arbois (disambiguation).
Arbois

Town hall

Flag

Coat of arms
Arbois

Coordinates: 46°54′13″N 5°46′29″E / 46.9036°N 5.7747°ECoordinates: 46°54′13″N 5°46′29″E / 46.9036°N 5.7747°E
Country France
Region Franche-Comté
Department Jura
Arrondissement Lons-le-Saunier
Canton Arbois
Intercommunality Val de la Cuisance
Government
  Mayor (20142020) Bernard Amiens
Area1 45.42 km2 (17.54 sq mi)
Population (2010)2 3,520
  Density 77/km2 (200/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 39013 / 39600
Elevation 246–613 m (807–2,011 ft)
(avg. 293 m or 961 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Arbois is a French commune in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. The Cuisance River passes through the town, which has some pretty streets lined with ancient houses. The town centres on an arcaded central square where one can sample the local wines.[1]

The commune has been awarded two flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.[2]

Geography

The Cuisance at Arbois

Arbois is located some 40 km south-west of Besançon and 30 km south-east of Dole. It has a typical Revermont landscape. The plain is mainly used for cropping of cereals on medium-sized plots of land. The lower slopes consist mainly of meadows surrounded by small hedges for dairy farming. There are some vineyards in the same area. The rest of the hills is occupied by small vineyards with a few scattered meadows. The top of the hills and the plateau are heavily forested.

Communication and transport

Arbois railway station

Access to the commune is by Route nationale N83 which comes from Mouchard in the north and passes through the town before continuing south to Buvilly. The D469 goes west from the village to Mathenay and the D107 goes east to Mesnay. The D14 goes north to Villers-Farlay and the D246 goes south to Pupillin.[3]

The town is about 40 minutes drive from Dole (35 km), Besançon (48 km) and Lons-le-Saunier (38 km). It takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to Geneva and 1 hour 45 minutes to Lyon.

SNCF Arbois

The railway station is just north of the town and all TER Franche-Comté (Besançon-Lyon) trains serve this station. The nearest TGV station is at Mouchard on the Paris-Switzerland line.

Aerodrome

There is a small aerodrome in the north of the commune with the ICAO code LFGD and a restricted use runway.

Hydrology

The Cuisance at Arbois

Arbois is traversed by the Cuisance river and is part of Revermont since it lies at the foot of the Plateau of Lons-le-Saunier, the first plateau of the Jura.

Together with Salins-les-Bains and Poligny it forms "Revermont Country".

Climate

This small historic city has a very mild climate with little humidity. The presence of vineyards reflects this and the Loue and Doubs rivers are far enough away to limit the occurrence of fog in the winter. The influence of the small Cuisance river is low. The climate is rather continental with cold winters and little snow but hot in summer.

Neighbouring communes and villages[3]

History

The Pont des Capucins on the Cuisance in Arbois

The origin of the town of Arbois dates back to remote times but it is difficult to be specific. It is certain however that its wines were known to the Romans.

Until 1260 Arbois was a villa or town without defences: it was surrounded by ramparts during the following ten years.

Arbois endured seven sieges when it was part of the Duchy of Burgundy including sackings by Charles I of Amboise (in 1479 while he was governor of Franche-Comté under Louis XI), Henry IV (when the town held out for three weeks against the King's 25,000 troops), and Louis XIV. A castle was built in 1270, some vestiges of which survived the dismantling that Louis XIV ordered in 1678 following the conquest of Franche-Comté. There remain stretches of wall, pierced for archers, three round towers, and the square Gloriette tower.

When the republic was proclaimed at Lyon on 13 April 1834 the town joined the revolt against the government, which promptly sent a small force of grenadiers, cavalry, and a battery of artillery to subdue it.

The U.S. 36th Infantry Division liberated Arbois in September 1944 as it moved up the Rhône towards Besançon and then on to the Moselle.[4]

Heraldry

A Biou

The Arbois symbol is the heraldic pelican which is called a Pelican in her piety who is feeding her young from her beak. This is a Christian symbol and is accompanied by the motto of the city which is Sic his quos diligo (So I do for those I love). The Arbois band, which plays during the Biou festival is called Le Pelican in reference to this symbolic bird. There is also a Guggenmusik band called Biou'Z'Musik.

The arms use the colours of the city: yellow (gold) and black (sable) which are an allusion to yellow wine and dark forests.

Blazon:

Azure, a pelican in her piety Argent, vulned Gules, nest Or.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors[5]

From To Name Party Position
2001 2008 Raymond Page UMP
2008 2020 Bernard Amiens

(Not all data is known)

Population

Evolution of the Population (See database)
1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851
6,649 6,414 6,555 6,424 6,741 7,131 7,002 6,958 6,901
1856 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896
6,007 6,672 5,895 5,273 5,027 4,957 4,666 4,355 4,240
1901 1906 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954
4,209 4,093 3,926 3,475 3,616 3,681 3,627 3,457 3,733
1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006 2010 -
3,960 4,209 4,089 3,998 3,900 3,698 3,509 3,520 -

Sources : Ldh/EHESS/Cassini until 1962, INSEE database from 1968 (population without double counting and municipal population from 2006)

The Town Hall

Economy

Arbois is a small rural town with a rich historical heritage and important advantages for agricultural activity such as viticulture, an industrial enterprise among the 10 largest in the department, and tourism based on its heritage and gastronomy.

There is, however, hide some economic fragility with an aging population and sensitive industries at risk of relocation, a degradation of the diversity of shopping, and an overestimation of the value of property to deter young households.

Agriculture

Henri Maire in Arbois

The area produces some of the best Jura wines, including vin jaune (yellow wine) and vin de Paille (straw wine), in the Arbois AOC. This is the dominant activity. Arbois has many wineries such as Henri Maire, Rolet, Tissot, Claret, Gahier, and Fumey-Chatelain.

The Arbois Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) was introduced in 1936 and covers 13 communes on the hills and valley slopes surrounding the town. One of these, a small village named Pupillin, is particularly known for the quality of its wines, which come from a patchwork of vineyards planted on south-facing, limestone-rich slopes. Wines from these sites are sold as Arbois-Pupillin. Arbois wines are produced from around 2100 acres (850ha) of vineyards, planted with Chardonnay, Savagnin, Poulsard (or Ploussard as it is known in the commune), Pinot Noir and Trousseau.

About 70% of Jura's red wines are produced under the Arbois name, along with about 30% of its whites.[1]

Some bottles are labeled with the saying (in French): "Arbois wine, the more you drink, the more it goes right!". An old familiar song, the Tourdion is a song on the wines of Anjou or Arbois. It is also mentioned by Jacques Brel in his song Pour mon dernier repas (For my last meal) as well as by Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine in La cancoillotte (The cream cheese). In 1285 the Count of Chiny used to offer it to his guests during the Chauvency Tournament according to the troubadour Jacques Bretel who drank it in the company of Henri de Briey.

Arbois also has dairy farms (Montbéliarde breed) in the AOC of Comté and Morbier.

Industry

Industries other than wine contribute to the wealth of the commune including Bost-Garnache Industries (Stanley/Facom Group) which manufactures screwdrivers, SIOBRA who do zinc injection moulding, and CIFC who build industrial wood framing.

Culture and heritage

The Chateau Bontemps

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

Other sites of Interest

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

Other religious sites of interest

Personalities

Jean-Charles Pichegru
Monument to Louis Pasteur in Arbois

Born in Arbois

Residents

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Arbois wine at wine searcher
  2. Arbois in the Competition for Towns and Villages in Bloom (French)
  3. 3.0 3.1 Google Maps
  4. INSEE commune file INSEE commune file
  5. List of Mayors of France (French)
  6. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00101804 Brand consorts House (French)
  7. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA39000102 Hydro-Electric Power Station (French)
  8. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA39000069 Delort House (French)
  9. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00101802 Hotel de Broissia (French)
  10. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA39000131 Fruitière vinicole d'Arbois (French)
  11. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA39000100 Mill at 2 Avenue Pasteur (French)
  12. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA39000017 Chateau of Verreux at 2 Rue de Verreux (French)
  13. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00102058 Chateau Bontemps (French)
  14. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00101805 Gloriette Tower (French)
  15. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00101803 Louis Pasteur's House (French)
  16. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003576 Bathtub (French)
  17. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003575 Tabletop Still (French)
  18. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003476 Painting: Virgin and Child (French)
  19. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003462 3 Daguerreotypes (French)
  20. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003454 Inkwell (French)
  21. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003450 Bon Marché box (French)
  22. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003445 Drawing: The Funerals of Atala (French)
  23. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003444 Drawing: Bust of a young woman (French)
  24. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003443 Plate: Pasteur born at Dole (French)
  25. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003442 Painting: A clear night at Aiguebelette Lake (French)
  26. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003426 Statue: Christ (French)
  27. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003421 Praxinoscope (French)
  28. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003399 Gypsum Plate (French)
  29. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003384 3 Chairs (French)
  30. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003382 Commode (French)
  31. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000029 Bronze Clock (French)
  32. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00101800 Château Pécaud and Velfaux Tower (French)
  33. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003495 Painting: Saint Antoine (French)
  34. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003494 Painting: Saint François (French)
  35. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39003493 Painting: Saint Marthe (French)
  36. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000051 Chalice with its Paten (French)
  37. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000050 Casket for Holy Oil (French)
  38. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000028 Wooden Clock (French)
  39. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000027 Bronze Mortar (French)
  40. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000026 70 Ceramic Pharmaceutical Jars (French)
  41. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000025 Bronze Clock (French)
  42. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00125400 Ursuline Convent (French)
  43. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée PA00101801 Church of Saint-Just (French)
  44. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000037 Altar, Retable, Altar seating, 2 Credenzas, and a frame (French)
  45. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39001651 Painting: The Nativity (French)
  46. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39001650 Pitcher and Basin (French)
  47. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39001649 Statuette/Reliquary: The Immaculate Virgin (French)
  48. Ministry of Culture, Palissy PM39000048 Cross: Christ on the Cross (French)

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arbois.