Saint-Claude, Jura

Saint-Claude (French pronunciation: ​[sɛ̃klod]) is a commune in the Jura department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France.

Saint-Claude
Subprefecture and commune
A general view of Saint-Claude
Coat of arms
Location of Saint-Claude
Saint-Claude Saint-Claude
Coordinates: 46°23′16″N 5°51′50″E
Country	France
Region	Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Department	Jura
Arrondissement	Saint-Claude
Canton	Saint-Claude
Intercommunality	Val de Bienne
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Jean-Louis Millet
Area ^1	70.19 km^2 (27.10 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	9,279
• Density	130/km^2 (340/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	39478 /39200
Elevation	360–1,222 m (1,181–4,009 ft) (avg. 441 m or 1,447 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

The town was originally named Saint-Oyand after Saint Eugendus. However, when St. Claudius had, in 687, resigned his Diocese of Besançon and had died, in 696, as twelfth abbot, the number of pilgrims who visited his grave was so great that, since the 13th century, the name "Saint-Claude" came more and more into use and has today superseded the other.[2] Was the world capital of wooden smoking pipes crafted by hand from the mid 19th century all the way to the mid 20th century. During WWII the town came under German occupation, yet still remained a haven for Jews escaping to Switzerland due to its close proximity to it (5 miles away from town). As a punishment for the locales consistently assisting and harboring the fleeing Jews, the Nazis executed all the towns males of service age in the town center. There is a memorial plaque in the city square commemorating the event. Today there are several farms and ranches surrounding the town that produce many world famous brands of dairy (Comte cheese), beef (Charolaise), and poultry (Bresse Gauloise).

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 3,657 —     1806 3,525 −3.6% 1821 4,463 +26.6% 1831 5,222 +17.0% 1841 5,270 +0.9% 1851 5,897 +11.9% 1861 6,316 +7.1% 1872 7,083 +12.1% 1881 8,216 +16.0% 1891 9,782 +19.1% 1901 10,449 +6.8% 1911 12,022 +15.1%

Year Pop. ±% 1921 12,631 +5.1% 1931 13,436 +6.4% 1946 10,749 −20.0% 1954 11,301 +5.1% 1962 12,114 +7.2% 1968 12,486 +3.1% 1975 13,511 +8.2% 1982 12,715 −5.9% 1990 12,704 −0.1% 1999 12,303 −3.2% 2006 11,950 −2.9% 2013 10,346 −13.4%

Transport

Saint Claude is served by a railway station.

Sport

Saint Claude has a rugby club. The 2017 Tour de France passed through Saint Claude. The town's close proximity to the forests and ski resorts makes it a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking, camping, and skiing/snowboarding. Many surrounding lakes (Lac de Vouglans, etc.) also provide numerous fishing and boating activities close to town.

Sights

Saint-Claude Cathedral, former seat of the Bishops of Saint-Claude, is located here.

One of the landmarks in the city is the world largest pipe (7.5 meters long and 8.7 meters high, weighting 600 kg) as a proof of its international reputation as the world capital of pipe manufacturing.

Personalities

• Nadir Belhadj, footballer
• Suzanne Belperron (1900-1983), jewelry designer
• Angelique Boyer, actress
• Mevlüt Erdinç, footballer
• Alexis Vuillermoz, cyclist
• Maud Forget, actress

See also

• Butz-Choquin
• Communes of the Jura department

References

• INSEE statistics

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
2. Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Eugendus" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links

• "St Claude" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.