Mijoux
Mijoux
Location within Rhône-Alpes region  Mijoux
Administration
Country	France
Region	Rhône-Alpes
Department	Ain
Arrondissement	Gex
Canton	Gex
Mayor	Jean-Yves Lapeyrère (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	866–1,614 m (2,841–5,295 ft) (avg. 990 m or 3,250 ft)
Land area1	22.00 km2 (8.49 sq mi)
Population2	380  (2008)
- Density	17 /km2 (44 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	01247/ 01410
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.

Coordinates: 46°21′58″N 5°59′46″E / 46.3661°N 5.9961°E / 46.3661; 5.9961

Mijoux is a commune and village in the Ain department in eastern France.

Geography [link]

The village is situated in the upper section of the narrow Valserine valley, nestled between high limestone cliffs to the south-east that form the first anticline of the Jura mountains and the edge of the Lajoux plateau to the northwest. However, only the south-eastern side of the valley is within the commune's boundary, which stretches from the source of the Valserine river in the north, to the entry into Lélex, further down the valley, in the south. The commune is roughly 16 km long and 2 km wide.

Despite its high altitude (just under 1000 m), the village is built around a crossroads of regional importance: the valley road (D991) which links Bellegarde-sur-Valserine with Les Rousses here crosses the D936 which links Saint-Claude with Geneva over the Col de la Faucille. Both are former routes nationales.

History [link]

Origins [link]

In 1334 the valley was declared common property and revenue was shared between Jean II de Rossillon and Hugues de Joinville, Sire of Gex. The agreement thereby struck up stated that a hospice should be paid for and built within the valley.

The hospice was inhabited by monks who were charged with caring for the poorest pilgrims visiting the tombs of the Saints of Condat in Saint-Claude. Most of the pilgrims were from Geneva or Savoy. This was the first building to be inhabited year-round in Mijoux.

The 15th to 18th centuries [link]

Because of climate conditions within the valley that meant that winter was harsh and that spring was virtually nonexistent, the valley had remained uninhabited for a long time. However, due to the hospice, houses gradually appeared and work to clear the pines began so as to allow agriculture.

At first houses were built along the road that links Lajoux to the Col de la Faucille and it would not be until 1601 at the Treaty of Lyon that the river that bisects the town would become a border: the south-eastern side of the valley became French. In 1612 at the Franco-Spanish treaty, signed in Auxonne, the Valserine was chosen as the border between France and Spain. The north-western side of the valley was ceded to France in 1678 at the Treaties of Nijmegen.

The 19th century until today [link]

At the Treaty of Paris in 1815, after Napoleon's downfall, the new border was defined, as it remains today: it passes along Mijoux's thin northern edge. The French customs, however, were set up along the Valserine as Mijoux, Lélex, Chézery-Forens and the Pays de Gex became a pays franc. Today, the Valserine river serves as the border between the regions of Franche-Comté and Rhône-Alpes, Mijoux lying within the latter for its most part.

During this time, the valley was inhabited by numerous families, whose jobs changed depending on the season. During the summer, tasks included collecting fodder for the livestock, cultivating barley and potatoesas well as collecting firewood. In winter, when the ground was covered in snow, the same families cut and polished gems.

However, the bloodshed of the Great War and the resulting economic crisis contributed to the abandonment of farms and a downturn in poulation levels that left the commune with only half the population it had had 50 years previously.

Today and since 1969, tourism is revitalising this village, mainly due to winter sports. The commune has, for the past 20 years, belonged to the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura.

Population [link]

Economy [link]

Mijoux's economy is largely driven by tourism, for the winter sports practised here. Since 1999, Mijoux has been part of the Monts Jura ski resort. Ski lifts link Mijoux to the Col de la Faucille at 1308m and to Mont Rond, at an altitude of 1543m above sea level, one of the highest in the Jura Mountains. This part of the ski station is used mostly by downhill skiers. La Vattay, further up the valley but still within Mijoux, is a centre for Cross-country skiing.

Points of interest [link]

• Col de la Faucille
• The archaeological site around the orientation tables at Montrond, a Monument historique since 1936.
• Pont Charlemagne over the Valserine, that Yolande of Valois crossed with her kidnappers in 1476 during a kidnapping by the Duke of Burgundy.
• Gemcutting museum.

See also [link]

• Communes of the Ain department

References [link]

• INSEE

External links [link]

• Official site

v t e Communes of the Ain department L'Abergement-Clémenciat L'Abergement-de-Varey Ambérieu-en-Bugey Ambérieux-en-Dombes Ambléon Ambronay Ambutrix Andert-et-Condon Anglefort Apremont Aranc Arandas Arbent Arbignieu Arbigny Argis Armix Ars-sur-Formans Artemare Asnières-sur-Saône Attignat Bâgé-la-Ville Bâgé-le-Châtel Balan Baneins Béard-Géovreissiat Beaupont Beauregard Béligneux Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Belley Belleydoux Bellignat Belmont-Luthézieu Bénonces Bény Béon Béréziat Bettant Bey Beynost Billiat Birieux Biziat Blyes Bohas-Meyriat-Rignat La Boisse Boissey Bolozon Bouligneux Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-Saint-Christophe Boyeux-Saint-Jérôme Boz Brégnier-Cordon Brénaz Brénod Brens Bressolles Brion Briord Buellas La Burbanche Ceignes Cerdon Certines Cessy Ceyzériat Ceyzérieu Chalamont Chaleins Chaley Challes-la-Montagne Challex Champagne-en-Valromey Champdor Champfromier Chanay Chaneins Chanoz-Châtenay La Chapelle-du-Châtelard Charix Charnoz-sur-Ain Château-Gaillard Châtenay Châtillon-en-Michaille Châtillon-la-Palud Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze Chavannes-sur-Suran Chaveyriat Chavornay Chazey-Bons Chazey-sur-Ain Cheignieu-la-Balme Chevillard Chevroux Chevry Chézery-Forens Civrieux Cize Cleyzieu Coligny Collonges Colomieu Conand Condamine Condeissiat Confort Confrançon Contrevoz Conzieu Corbonod Corcelles Corlier Cormaranche-en-Bugey Cormoranche-sur-Saône Cormoz Corveissiat Courmangoux Courtes Crans Cras-sur-Reyssouze Cressin-Rochefort Crottet Crozet Cruzilles-lès-Mépillat Culoz Curciat-Dongalon Curtafond Cuzieu Dagneux Divonne-les-Bains Dommartin Dompierre-sur-Chalaronne Dompierre-sur-Veyle Domsure Dortan Douvres Drom Druillat Échallon Échenevex Étrez Évosges Faramans Fareins Farges Feillens Ferney-Voltaire Flaxieu Foissiat Francheleins Frans Garnerans Genouilleux Géovreisset Germagnat Gex Giron Gorrevod Le Grand-Abergement Grand-Corent Grièges Grilly Groissiat Groslée Guéreins Hautecourt-Romanèche Hauteville-Lompnes Hostiaz Hotonnes Illiat Injoux-Génissiat Innimond Izenave Izernore Izieu Jassans-Riottier Jasseron Jayat Journans Joyeux Jujurieux Labalme Lagnieu Laiz Lalleyriat Lancrans Lantenay Lapeyrouse Lavours Léaz Lélex Lent Lescheroux Leyment Leyssard Lhôpital Lhuis Lochieu Lompnas Lompnieu Loyettes Lurcy Magnieu Maillat Malafretaz Mantenay-Montlin Manziat Marboz Marchamp Marignieu Marlieux Marsonnas Martignat Massieux Massignieu-de-Rives Matafelon-Granges Meillonnas Mérignat Messimy-sur-Saône Meximieux Mézériat Mijoux Mionnay Miribel Misérieux Mogneneins Montagnat Montagnieu Montanges Montceaux Montcet Le Montellier Monthieux Montluel Montmerle-sur-Saône Montracol Montréal-la-Cluse Montrevel-en-Bresse Murs-et-Gélignieux Nantua Nattages Neuville-les-Dames Neuville-sur-Ain Les Neyrolles Neyron Niévroz Nivollet-Montgriffon Nurieux-Volognat Oncieu Ordonnaz Ornex Outriaz Oyonnax Ozan Parcieux Parves Péron Péronnas Pérouges Perrex Le Petit-Abergement Peyriat Peyrieu Peyzieux-sur-Saône Pirajoux Pizay Plagne Le Plantay Le Poizat Polliat Pollieu Poncin Pont-d'Ain Pont-de-Vaux Pont-de-Veyle Port Pougny Pouillat Prémeyzel Prémillieu Pressiat Prévessin-Moëns Priay Pugieu Ramasse Rancé Relevant Replonges Revonnas Reyrieux Reyssouze Rignieux-le-Franc Romans Rossillon Ruffieu Saint-Alban Saint-André-de-Bâgé Saint-André-de-Corcy Saint-André-d'Huiriat Saint-André-le-Bouchoux Saint-André-sur-Vieux-Jonc Saint-Bénigne Saint-Benoît Saint-Bernard Saint-Bois Saint-Champ Saint-Cyr-sur-Menthon Saint-Denis-en-Bugey Saint-Denis-lès-Bourg Saint-Didier-d'Aussiat Saint-Didier-de-Formans Saint-Didier-sur-Chalaronne Sainte-Croix Sainte-Euphémie Sainte-Julie Saint-Éloi Sainte-Olive Saint-Étienne-du-Bois Saint-Étienne-sur-Chalaronne Saint-Étienne-sur-Reyssouze Saint-Genis-Pouilly Saint-Genis-sur-Menthon Saint-Georges-sur-Renon Saint-Germain-de-Joux Saint-Germain-les-Paroisses Saint-Germain-sur-Renon Saint-Jean-de-Gonville Saint-Jean-de-Niost Saint-Jean-de-Thurigneux Saint-Jean-le-Vieux Saint-Jean-sur-Reyssouze Saint-Jean-sur-Veyle Saint-Julien-sur-Reyssouze Saint-Julien-sur-Veyle Saint-Just Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône Saint-Marcel Saint-Martin-de-Bavel Saint-Martin-du-Frêne Saint-Martin-du-Mont Saint-Martin-le-Châtel Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens Saint-Nizier-le-Bouchoux Saint-Nizier-le-Désert Saint-Paul-de-Varax Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey Saint-Rémy Saint-Sorlin-en-Bugey Saint-Sulpice Saint-Trivier-de-Courtes Saint-Trivier-sur-Moignans Saint-Vulbas Salavre Samognat Sandrans Sault-Brénaz Sauverny Savigneux Ségny Seillonnaz Sergy Sermoyer Serrières-de-Briord Serrières-sur-Ain Servas Servignat Seyssel Simandre-sur-Suran Songieu Sonthonnax-la-Montagne Souclin Sulignat Surjoux Sutrieu Talissieu Tenay Thézillieu Thil Thoiry Thoissey Torcieu Tossiat Toussieux Tramoyes La Tranclière Treffort-Cuisiat Trévoux Valeins Vandeins Varambon Vaux-en-Bugey Verjon Vernoux Versailleux Versonnex Vesancy Vescours Vésines Vieu Vieu-d'Izenave Villars-les-Dombes Villebois Villemotier Villeneuve Villereversure Villes Villette-sur-Ain Villieu-Loyes-Mollon Viriat Virieu-le-Grand Virieu-le-Petit Virignin Vongnes Vonnas