Barraux

Barraux
Barraux

Coordinates: 45°26′07″N 5°58′42″E / 45.4353°N 5.9783°E / 45.4353; 5.9783Coordinates: 45°26′07″N 5°58′42″E / 45.4353°N 5.9783°E / 45.4353; 5.9783
Country France
Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department Isère
Arrondissement Grenoble
Canton Le Touvet
Intercommunality Pays du Grésivaudan
Government
  Mayor (20082014) Christophe Engrand
Area1 11 km2 (4 sq mi)
Population (2009)2 1,841
  Density 170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 38027 / 38530
Elevation 241–950 m (791–3,117 ft)
(avg. 360 m or 1,180 ft)

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.

Barraux is a commune in the Isère department in southeastern France.

It includes the hamlets of Le Fayet, La Gache, and the 15th century fort, Fort Barraux.


Location

Barraux has the village of Chapareillan to the north; La Buissiere, Le Boissieu and La Flachere to the south; Pontcharra to the east and Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, on the Plateau des Petites Roches to the west. It is situated in the valley of the Gresivaudan through which the Isère river flows.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1962800    
1968800+0.0%
1975871+8.9%
1982939+7.8%
19901,214+29.3%
19991,474+21.4%
20061,720+16.7%
20091,841+7.0%

The inhabitants of Barraux are called Barrolins.

History (the village)

The village of Barraux was probably founded as part of the supply chain to feed the fort Barraux built by Charles Emmanuel II to act as a border fort. In 1985 the fort was given back to the village of Barraux, from the French army.

History (the fort)

Fort Saint Barthélémy

Fort Saint Barthélémy (eventually Fort Barraux) is the oldest fort using bastions in France. It was built in 1597 and its aspect changed very little over the past 400 years as the general layout invented by the Piedmontese architect Ercole Negro will be left almost intact by its followers: A fortress with an extended star shape with a narrow end, including many bastions and advanced ditches.

The fort was taken by surprise right after its completion by Lesdiguières, the Constable of Dauphiné. A few enhancements have been undertaken by the engineers of King Henry IV but didn't affect the general layout.

Vauban himself, Fortress Inspector in Chief of King Louis XIV in the late 17th century didn't change the arrangement of bastions and curtains. He would rather improve the various buildings inside the fort: two barracks, the well, the chapel, the large powder magazine and the gate house.

In the early 19th century, a casemate was added southward as this section was considered to be the weakest point

17th century

Original held at Bibliothèque Municipale of Grenoble. Talented engineers will improve the fort, but keep the general layout designed by Ercole Negro

Vauban and the Fort

Drawing by Vauban (1692).Original at Historical Services of the French Army (Vincennes)

When Vauban arrived at the fort in 1692 he is extremely negative about what was achieved by its predecessors. He asks for the improvement of the most obvious weaknesses:

18th to 20th centuries

Twin towns

Barraux is twinned with:

See also

References

    External links

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