Mortagne (French pronunciation: [mɔʁtaɲ] ) is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France.

Mortagne
The town hall in Mortagne
The town hall in Mortagne
Location of Mortagne
Map
Mortagne is located in France
Mortagne
Mortagne
Mortagne is located in Grand Est
Mortagne
Mortagne
Coordinates: 48°16′13″N 6°45′18″E / 48.2703°N 6.755°E / 48.2703; 6.755
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentVosges
ArrondissementSaint-Dié-des-Vosges
CantonBruyères
IntercommunalityCA Saint-Dié-des-Vosges
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Lionel Leclerc[1]
Area
1
22.2 km2 (8.6 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
181
 • Density8.2/km2 (21/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
88315 /88600
Elevation341–654 m (1,119–2,146 ft)
(avg. 460 m or 1,510 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It shares its name with the eponymous river which borders the commune on its south-eastern side.

Geography

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The commune is positioned on undulating lower slopes of the Vosges Mountains. The settlements in the commune are dispersed across various hamlets that include l'Orme, le Bout du Dessus, le Bout du Milieu and le Bout du Dessous. The commune is crossed by the little River Mossoux, a tributary of the Mortagne which itself feeds into the Meurthe. Much of the valley here remains wild and uncultivated: the last farm on the route to the forest is called 'The End of the World'.

History

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Etymology

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The name of 'Mortagne' in the Vosges département is believed to come from the Celtic name of the river. Earlier spellings have included 'Mortesna', 'Mortennam', and a patois version, 'Moutone'.

For many years there was a widespread belief that the name was of Roman origin, related to the name 'Mauritania', being a reference to an encampment of a Moorish regiment during the closing centuries of the Roman Empire period: this belief is now discredited.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.