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Bellerive

Canton of Geneva · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Collonge-Bellerive has 8'672 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Part of the municipality of Collonge-Bellerive
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Bellerive

The name appears in 1184 as « Bella ripa », in a bull of Pope Lucius III. No explanation has yet been found for this name. Before 1799 the municipality was called « Collonge sur Bellerive ».[1][2]

Founding of Bellerive

On the shore of Lake Geneva, Bellerive grew up around a monastery. Gérold, lord of Langin, is said to have founded it. The house first depended on the priory of Betton, in Savoy, then became an abbey of Cistercian nuns. Its abbess held the lordship of Bellerive as a fief of the Duke of Savoy. Plundered and then abandoned in the 16th century, the abbey fell into ruin. The hamlet is now part of the municipality of Collonge-Bellerive.[1][2]

History of Bellerive

998-880 BC. Occupation of the lakeshore settlement of Bellerive I, off the landing stage (Late Bronze Age).[2][3]

1150. The monastery is said to have been founded by Gérold, lord of Langin.[1]

1184. A bull of Pope Lucius III places the priory of Betton and its possessions, including the house of « Bella ripa », under apostolic protection.[1]

1244. Cistercian nuns are mentioned.[1]

1254. The abbey holds rights over Saint-Maurice. Vésenaz (1336) and Collonge (1512) are added later.[1]

1262. An abbess is mentioned.[1]

14th century. The abbey of Bellerive is one of the main fief holders in the territory of the present municipality.[2]

1530. The abbey is plundered by the Genevans and the Bernese.[1]

1536. The abbey is abandoned and ruined. Genève cedes to Bern the lordship of Bellerive, which it had seized.[1][2]

1542. The abbey is still attested.[1]

1668-1672. The Duke of Savoy has the Château de Bellerive built to harm the trade of Genève.[2]

1792. Until this date the castle serves as a salt store and customs post.[2]

1870. Hippolyte Gosse reports the lakeshore settlement of Bellerive I.[3]

Historic sites in Bellerive

Château de Bellerive. Built from 1668 to 1672 by the Duke of Savoy, a salt store and customs post until 1792. Listed in the inventory of cultural property of national importance (chemin du Milieu 25).[2][4]

Villa-chalet du Prince Essling. Next to the castle (chemin du Milieu 27), it is also listed in the inventory of cultural property of national importance.[4]

Remains in Bellerive

Lakeshore settlements of Bellerive. Off the landing stage, the Bellerive I settlement (Late Bronze Age), a Unesco World Heritage site, and the Bellerive II settlement, closer to the shore and heavily eroded.[2][3][4]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bellerive (GE) » (Dominique Torrione-Vouilloz), version remaniée le 25.06.2002
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Collonge-Bellerive » (Pierre Corboud, Georges Curtet), version remaniée le 03.04.2019
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Collonge-Bellerive - Bellerive I » (Pierre Corboud), version du 03.04.2019
  4. Office fédéral de la protection de la population, Inventaire suisse des biens culturels d'importance nationale (couche geo.admin.ch, commune de Collonge-Bellerive)
  5. geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (quartier Bellerive ; coordonnées)

Other villages near Bellerive

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