Froidfontaine

Froidfontaine (in Walloon Froedfontinne ) is a section of the Belgian city of Beauraing located in Walloon region in the Province of Namur.

It was a commune with whole share before the fusion of the communes of 1977.

Etymology

The name of Froidfontaine would find its origin in the Walloon etymology freûde-fontin.ne meaning cold source . Indeed, one finds there a fountain multiséculaire which, according to the legend, would have been a place having been used for religious rites druidic.

History

As that was proven by important archaeological discoveries, the site of Froidfontaine was occupied as of the Roman period. This occupation was prolonged and amplified during the period mérovingienne. That is attested besides by the discovery of a factory of Roman tiles and a furnace of potter of the time mérovingienne. It should be said that the village occupied an ideal site in the middle of an area furrowed by several Roman ways. In 943, the grounds of Froidfonaine are given in exchange of other goods by some Egon to the abbey of Stavelot at the same time as the old land field of Tanton . This land field will be yielded to the 15th century by the monks of Stavelot to the Chevaliers of Midsummer's Day of Jerusalem which built a commandery there. At the 15th century, the Count of the Rock adapts himself some. In 1429, the ground passes between the hands of the family of Marck and then in those of the family of Line-Arenberg which will preserve it until April 19th, 1706. Date to which the field of Tanton will be sold in Smakers and will remain their good until one 1795. They at that time that the grounds of Froidfonaine will be famous “quite national” and is sold like such by the capacity set up by the French revolutionists.

Economy

During centuries, the main activity of the village was a long time the exploitation of the forest resources. In 1803, Aymé-Gabriel d' Artigues buys the grounds of Froidfontaine and It installs a mill being used there to actuate grinding stones to cut the crystals which it manufactured with Vonêche. This mill will cease its activities only shortly after the independence of Belgium. After having exerted employment related on the manufacture and the completion of the crystal for this period, the inhabitants of the village turned again to the trades related to the exploitation of wood. Today, the majority of the inhabitants will work in the urban centres surrounding and only some employment related on sylviculture or agriculture still makes it possible to exert an employment on the spot.

External bonds

Site of the commune of Beauraing.
Site of the Union of the Cities and Communes of Wallonia asbl.

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