Salins-les-Bains

Salins-les-Bains is a commune in the Jura department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.

Salins-les-Bains
Commune
The town hall in Salins-les-Bains
Coat of arms
Location of Salins-les-Bains
Salins-les-Bains Show map of France Salins-les-Bains Show map of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Coordinates: 46°56′31″N 5°52′45″E
Country	France
Region	Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Department	Jura
Arrondissement	Dole
Canton	Arbois
Intercommunality	Communauté des communes, Arbois, Poligny, Salins - Coeur du Jura
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Gilles Beder
Area ^1	24.68 km^2 (9.53 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	2,586
• Density	100/km^2 (270/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	39500 /39110
Elevation	284–737 m (932–2,418 ft) (avg. 350 m or 1,150 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Salins owes its name to its saline waters which shaped the town's history for centuries, and continue to attract visitors today, for the town's bedrock contains salt and gypsum deposits. In 2009 the historic saltworks were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The saltworks at Salins-Les-Bains are closely associated with another World Heritage site, the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans.

Geography

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 (851 m).

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 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.

French composer Charles Galibert (1826–1858) was born in Salins-les-Bains.

Until the early 20th century the slopes surrounding the town were largely covered in vines, which were however almost entirely abandoned after the phylloxera crisis decimated the vineyard. Little trace of this former activity remains today.

For much of the 20th century the town was also famed for its potters, but today only three craftsmen continue to uphold this local tradition.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1793	8,174	—
1806	8,374	+2.4%
1821	7,271	−13.2%
1831	6,554	−9.9%
1841	7,481	+14.1%
1851	7,112	−4.9%
1861	7,361	+3.5%
1872	6,045	−17.9%
1881	5,319	−12.0%
1891	6,068	+14.1%
1901	5,525	−8.9%
1911	5,272	−4.6%
1921	4,471	−15.2%
1931	4,607	+3.0%
1946	4,363	−5.3%
1954	4,930	+13.0%
1962	4,451	−9.7%
1968	4,259	−4.3%
1975	4,177	−1.9%
1982	3,923	−6.1%
1990	3,629	−7.5%
1999	3,333	−8.2%
2008	2,987	−10.4%
2013	2,796	−6.4%

Sights

The town has a Romanesque church, St-Anatoile, which has been well restored, and an hôtel de ville from the 18th century. A 17th-century Jesuit chapel contains a library, established in 1593, and a museum.

Transportation

Salins-les-Bains is on the Paris to Lausanne (Switzerland) road. The closest railway station is in Mouchard, a few kilometres away.

Twin towns

• Horb am Neckar, Germany, since 1991

See also

• Communes of the Jura department

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Salins". Encyclopædia Britannica. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 71.
• INSEE statistics

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.