Échenoz-la-Méline

ECHENOZ-LA-MÉLINE

Official blazon

D’or au fer de trident renversé de gueules; au chef triangulaire de sinople chargé d’un tourteau d’azur rayonnant de douze rais d’or.

Origin/meaning

The arms have a complex meaning, derived from the local geographical situation, the history and the name of the municipality.

Echenoz-la-Méline is surrounded by two hills, the Cita and Beauregard, a stream, the Méline, accompanied by the Devil's Spring and the nearby Solborde cavern and rocks of the Twelve Apostles. The valley of Echenoz is symbolised by the green point, the Devil's spring by the fork in the base and the Twelve Apostles by a sun with 12 rays. The blue center is the Solborde cavern.

There are three possible explanations of the name Echenoz-la-Méline. The name can be derived from Esche and Naus, meaning a valley surrounded by steep hills of oaks. It may also be translted as 'the channel of the mills', due to the many water mills in the valley in the past. The third explanation claims that Echenoz is an ancient word for marsh and Méline comes from the devil (the malignant).

The green point in the arms is again the valley, the sun can also be interpreted as a water mill wheel and the devil with the fork in the base.

Finally, the three points of the fork represent the village, the highway and the valley.