Aroffe

Geography

Located at the border of the Vosges; Aroffe is easily locatable on a chart because its territory forms an axe (see chart of the Vosges) Benefitting from the continental semi climate; the summers are very hot and the very cold winter. The village of Aroffe is located between 3 hills which are covered with forests and is crossed by the Aroffe river. This one would have according to certain being called Mourning (river taking its source with Vicherey). The village of Aroffe is in the Canton of Châtenois; in the district of Neufchâteau and the diocese of Toul.

History

The history of Aroffe starts with banks of the river of the same name which runs still today. Uncertainties are numerous for the creation date of the village but thanks to vestiges discovered loan from there in Gémonville. We can say that this area was inhabited by the Gallic ones. It is surely thanks to the climate; and as thanks to the river there as people could live. We can roughly locate the first dwellings at approximately 2nd century or 3rd century before Jesus-Christ. As of, it falls under Roman domination; this civilization will not leave any vestige to Aroffe because the majority of the stones will be recovered to build houses with the Middle Ages.

; The Middle Ages, century of legends in Aroffe In 476 after J.C the hordes of barbarians unload as a Gaulle by plundering all. A dynasty sets up Mérovingiens which converts with the Christianity which will have a consequence on the population and the legends of Aroffe. Very early in the village of Aouze hunting for the witches starts. And a legend will start from that, legend which has its share of truth. It starts in full hunting of witch with Aouze. An inhabitant of Aroffe, peasant like the majority, after having attended a lawsuit of witch, set out again in his village. But at the same moment, a wizard who had escaped with the massacre, J eta a fate with the inhabitant of Aroffe. This one was found suspended in the airs. At this time, he requested the Blessed Virgin to reduce it n the other hand from what he would build a vault. Its wish was exaucé and it will build the vault at the place where it fell down. I.e. between Aroffe and soncourt on one of the three hills of Aroffe: the hill of Chaplemont.

There also exists in the village another legend which is useful like a religious lesson. It does without one Sunday day rest. A peasant brought hay in top of the one of the hills when suddenly the Blessed Virgin appeared to him. She asked him to return at his place because Sunday was day of rest. The peasant continued to ride the Blessed Virgin then uttered to him that it will not be able to assemble this hill with his two asses. One needed all the horses and the asses of the village so that it can assemble the hill.

The period of the Middle Ages was not only one period of legend. In the second part of the 16th century in spite of the presence of a vault; a church was built. It was completed in 1528 with a splendid canopy. Aroffe was for this period registered in the few villages belonging to the diocese of Toul. Aroffe was at that time in the shade of the village of Vicherey which had a castle and which had received the visit of king Dagobert who liked to rest there.

; The revolution and the 19th century In 1793 dramatic turn of events: for the period of the revolution, the vault is destroyed and plundered; the stones will be useful has to build the remainder of the church and the grounds are sold. At the 19th century the industrial revolution starts. A tilery is built; it will go to full mode until the 20th century. A mill to make the flour is built it will work until the death of the baker during the war 1939-1945. A bar is done and the clay tiles of the church are replaced by metal tiles. ; 20th century with today At the beginning of the century a cinema animated by a priest is built; the war 1914-1918 mark much Aroffe. But it anything is not compared with the Second world war; the village is occupied the priest is tortured it will be hung by the jaw with a hook of stopping; he will survive but with after-effects. The baker is off-set, it will not return. Of Polish take refuge in the forests and an inhabitant who is called Maurice Gerard, after having saved an English parachutist and having missed covers it fire finds himself with the concentration camps it will be saved by Russian. He is still alive. During this time a idylle is formed between Pierre Cunin, who came from the high Vosges in Aroffe to flee obligatory work, and Eliane Munier which was born in Aroffe. They will be mariront after the war and will found a family with Aroffe. After the war the firm cinema like the bar and it remains nothing any more but the garage. Still today of Aruffiens will partieront towards the big cities and much wonder which future Aroffe.

Curiosities

; Saint-Sulpice church Contrary to some false ideas the church is not only curiosity one can add to curiosities the laundrettes dispersed in the village of which one which still goes and which is always used for some. We can quoted the twelve âpotres who are still intact on the frontage of a house; this scene shows the crucifixion of Jesus surrounded by his âpotres; the mill which is at the end of the village. Certain houses still have the statue of the intact Blessed Virgin in the niche. the abandoned cinema is always there but he is inhabited. The foundations of the vault are still hidden in the forest. Certain houses of the village have a whole a history as that of the Cantiniau family which was used as hospital during the war or it there at the house of the Cunin family (always inhabited) which goes back to 1802. Religious crosses and symbols omnipresent in the village. The Town hall old school and the cemetery whose tombs go up until the 19th century. The church was repaints and of the spots light it the night. Forests and the 3 hills which surround the village and where one can find " étoiles". But one cannot forget the bar and the two old willows; its last skirt the river.

Administration

Demography

External bonds

Aroffe on the site of the national geographical Institute
Aroffe on the site of INSEE
Aroffe on the site of Quid
Localization of Aroffe on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Aroffe on Mapquest

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