Salins-les-Bains

French commune
nomcommune=Salins-les-Bains


caption=View of Salins-les-Bains


x=202
y=127
lat_long=coord|46|56|31|N|5|52|45|E|region:FR_type:city
région=Franche-Comté
département=Jura
arrondissement=Lons-le-Saunier
canton=Salins-les-Bains
(chief town)
insee=39500
cp=39110
maire=
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=
alt moy=350 m
alt mini=284 m
alt maxi=737 m
hectares=2,468
km²=24.68
sans=3,333
date-sans=1999
dens=135
date-dens=1999

Salins-les-Bains is a town of eastern France, in the Jura "département", part of the Franche-Comté on a branch line of the Paris-Lyon railway.

Salins owes its name to its saline waters, used for bathing and drinking. There are also salt works and gypsum deposits. Salins is situated in the narrow valley of the Furieuse, between two fortified hills, Fort Belin and Fort Saint-André, while to the north rises Mont Poupet (2798 ft.). The town possesses an interesting Romanesque church, St-Anatole, which has been well restored, and an "hôtel de ville" of the 18th century. A 17th century Jesuit chapel contains a library, established in 1593, and a museum.

History

The territory of Salins, which was enfeoffed in the 10th century by the Abbey of Saint Maurice-en-Valais to the counts of Mâcon, remained in possession of their descendants till 1175. Maurette de Salins, heiress of this dynasty, brought the lordship to the house of Vienne, and her granddaughter sold it in 1225 to Hugh IV of Burgundy, who ceded it in 1237 to John of Chalon (d.1267) in exchange for the county of Chalon. John's descendants, counts and dukes of Burgundy, emperors and kings of the house of Austria all bore the title of "sire de Salins".

In 1477 Salins was taken by the French and temporarily made the seat of the parliament of Franche-Comté by Louis XI. In 1668 and 1674 it was retaken by the French and thenceforward remained in their power. In 1825 the town was almost destroyed by fire. In 1871 it successfully resisted the German troops in the Franco-Prussian War.

Demographics

As of the census of 1999, the population was formatnum:3333.
The estimation for 2007 was formatnum:3045.

ee also

*Communes of the Jura department

References

*1911
* [http://www.insee.fr/en/home/home_page.asp INSEE] en icon
* [http://www.ign.fr/rubrique.asp?rbr_id=1&lng_id=EN IGN] en icon