Montbenoît

History

In the early 12th century, Landry, Lord of Joux, gave land in the upper Doubs valley to Humbert, Archbishop of Besançon, to found an abbey. The local summit in the area was at the time called Mont Benoît after a hermit named Benoît who lived there. Humbert invited monks to come from Valais and an abbey under St. Columbanus's rule was built by a monk called Nardouin (Norduin) in 1141–1142. The town grew up nearby the abbey. Both the abbey and the town were named Montbenoît after the local summit. The abbey later came under the Augustine rule. In 1947, Montbenoît was proclaimed capital of the Republic of Saugeais by Georges Pourchet, a local hotel owner, who also created the republic on the spot.

Geography

The commune lies north of Pontarlier in the Jura mountains.

Most-observed species

• Meadow Brown

  Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,566
• Small Heath

  Coenonympha pamphilus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,316
• Small Tortoiseshell

  Aglais urticae (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,277
• Dark Green Fritillary

  Speyeria aglaja (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  729
• Common Blue

  Polyommatus icarus (von Rottemburg, 1775) · Insecta
  720
• Marbled White

  Melanargia galathea Linnaeus, 1758 · Insecta
  709
• Yellow-winged Darter

  Sympetrum flaveolum (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  702
• Fritillary

  Fritillaria meleagris L. · Liliopsida
  687

Most recent

• M 4.4 — 2023-03-22
  1 km NW of Pont-de-Roide, France
• M 4.1 — 2021-12-24
  2 km WSW of Blamont, France
• M 4.1 — 2017-07-01
  7 km E of Châtel-Saint-Denis, Switzerland
• M 4.1 — 2016-12-03
  2 km SE of Damparis, France
• M 2.8 — 2008-10-31
  5 km NE of Boëge, France
• M 2.5 — 2008-09-17
  1 km W of Riedholz, Switzerland