Villebois

Presentation

Villebois east locates has 12km in the south of Lagnieu, has L end D a calcareous plate with the foot of which the the Rhone runs. The village, to 1 km of the river, is dominated in the east by escarpées mountains, last buttresses of the solid mass of doors. The secondary road D19 crosses the district of the station (terminus of the Ambérieu-Villebois line), or occurs the CD60 which crosses the agglomeration and joined CD60b de Lagnieu with Souclin. Altitude is of 208m at the station, and on average of 243m in the borough. The surface of the commune is of 1446 ha, including 940 ha of wood and moors. A part is in culture, especially the localities “the Champagne” and “the Marsh”. Some vines remain on the slopes.

There are three hamlets: Bouis, Carriaz, and the district of the station, practically all three joined together at the village by new constructions.

The commune is crossed by the river of the rhéby, going down from the solid mass of Doors to throw itself in the Rhone.

The name of Villebois was known in whole France, and even abroad, thanks to its stone quarries of size. This exploitation ceased since 1950, but the memory in long-lived remainder.

In the old texts one finds the forms following: Villa Bosci - Villabusy - Villaboy - very short Buxi Villa or even Villa. As for Bouis, it is Buci, Buxis or Bussy

History

The general history of the commune merges with that of the châtellenie of Saint-Sorlin-in-Bugey, of which it always formed part under the old mode.

The population was of 1660 in 1881 and up to 2522 in 1856. One then witnesses a decline up to 851 in 1982. Since the population slightly increased to reach a little more than 1.000 inhabitants in 2002.

The exploitation of the stone is with the orignie economic and social face of the commune. This activity in particular contributed on arrival of many workmen and the creation of the splendid hamlet of Bouis.

Geography

Villebois is located at 12 km in the south of Lagnieu. The village, to 1 km of the Rhone, is dominated in the East by escarpées mountains, last buttresses of the solid mass of Doors.

Villebois is fixed on the blank of the mountain. Its altitude varies between 203 meters on the level of the Rhone, up to 950 meters with the hamlet of Courrerie and the farm of the Rock. Average altitude is of 250 meters in the borough.

The commune is surrounded by three hamlets: Bouis, Carriaz and the district of the station.

Administration

Demography

Economy

Villebois was made known by its careers and its stone. The stone of Villebois was used in the construction of many buildings in France as in Lyon (in front of the Hotel God on the quaies), Valence, Vienna, Givors… but also abroad as in Geneva, Lausanne… One finds traces of the exploitation of the stone in 1695, but it is especially in the second part of the 18th century that this industry knows its apogee. The discovery of cement and the technique of the reinforced concrete associated with the crisis with 1930 involved the decline of the activity (and of its demography). The stone masons disappeared, but the entire village keeps the trace of its hard last.

Tourism

Villebois is known for all in love ones with canyon with the rheby. The practice of descent of this canyon is prohibited in November 1st and August from to April 14th by order of the prefect of April 11th, 2002. http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=3840492961123079644&hl=fr

See too

List of the Common of Ain
Examination of the parochial registers via GeneaNet
the canyon of Rheby

External bond

Villebois seen of the sky, via google maps

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