Bellevue
Origin of the name Bellevue
The municipality received this name when it was created in 1855. Neither an old form nor the origin of the name Bellevue is known. The hamlet of Colovrex, on the other hand, is attested in 1257 as « Colovray ».[1]
Founding of Bellevue
The territory has yielded Neolithic remains, a Bronze Age lakeside settlement and a Gallo-Roman tile works. For a long time there was no real village centre. In the Middle Ages Bellevue was part of the fief of La Bâtie-Beauregard, held from the lords of Gex, while Colovrex and Valavran largely depended on the convent of Saint-Victor. The fief came under Bernese rule, then shared the fate of the Pays de Gex, in turn Savoyard, Genevan and French. Bellevue then depended on the municipality of Collex-Bossy, with which it joined the canton of Genève. The municipality of Bellevue was born in 1855 from a split with Collex-Bossy, which was agricultural and Catholic, for political and religious reasons: Bellevue included Protestant bourgeois estates.[1]
History of Bellevue
Neolithic. First traces of occupation of the territory.[1]
Bronze Age. A lakeside settlement is established on the territory.[1]
1st-4th centuries. A Gallo-Roman tile works operates on the territory, from the 1st to the 3rd-4th century.[1]
1257. Mention of the hamlet of Colovrex in the form « Colovray ».[1]
1299. Mention of the castle of La Bâtie-Beauregard, which belongs to the lords of Gex and defends the north of their territory. Bellevue is part of this fief.[2]
1536. The fief of La Bâtie-Beauregard comes under Bernese rule. After the Reformation its inhabitants attend worship at Ornex.[1]
1564. The fief shares the fate of the Pays de Gex, Savoyard from 1564 to 1590.[1]
1589. The Genevans take the castle of La Bâtie-Beauregard, demolished in 1590.[2]
1590. The Pays de Gex is Genevan from 1590 to 1601.[1]
1601. The Pays de Gex passes to France. Catholic worship is restored at Ornex and Collex, and Protestants henceforth attend worship at Genthod.[1]
around 1736. Opening of a new tile works, active until the end of the Second World War.[1]
1790. Bellevue depends on the municipality of Collex-Bossy.[1]
1816. Collex-Bossy, with Bellevue, is joined to the canton of Genève.[1]
1855. Creation of the municipality, named Bellevue, by separation from Collex-Bossy, for political and religious reasons.[1]
1858. The railway crosses the municipality.[1]
1888-1889. Construction of the town hall and school.[1]
1901-1925. A tramway links the village to Genève. A bus line has run since 1991.[1]
1962-1963. Construction of the Catholic church of Sainte-Rita.[1]
Population of Bellevue
Sources and references: [1][5]
| 1860 | 324 |
| 1900 | 362 |
| 1950 | 684 |
| 2000 | 1'801 |
| 2025 | 4'089 |
Historic sites in Bellevue
Town hall and school. Built in 1888-1889, at a time when there had been no real village centre before the 19th century.[1]
Church of Sainte-Rita. Catholic church built in 1962-1963.[1]
Hamlets of Colovrex and Valavran. Hamlets that in the Middle Ages largely depended on the convent of Saint-Victor. Colovrex is mentioned in 1257 (« Colovray »).[1]
Port-Gitana. Bellevue harbour, named after the steamboat of Baroness Julie de Rothschild. The municipal beach, the plage Gitana, takes its name from it.[4]
Remains in Bellevue
Gallo-Roman tile works. Tile works active from the 1st to the 3rd-4th century, studied by Daniel Paunier in the article « Un four de tuilier gallo-romain à Bellevue » (Genava, 1972). Its kiln, excavated in September 1970, lies at the place called Tuileries, beside the route de Suisse.[1][3]
Bronze Age lakeside settlement. The territory has yielded a Bronze Age lakeside settlement as well as Neolithic remains.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bellevue » (Martine Piguet)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bâtie, La » (Dominique Zumkeller)
- Daniel Paunier, « Un four de tuilier gallo-romain à Bellevue », Genava, n.s., 20, 1972, p. 61-81 (Archive ouverte UNIGE)
- Conseil d'État de Genève, arrêté relatif à l'officialisation de dénominations de lieux nautiques sur la rive droite du Léman, 16.08.2023
- Office cantonal de la statistique (OCSTAT), Mémento statistique du canton de Genève 2026, tableau Population résidante par commune, en 2025
- geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (coordonnées, arrêt Bellevue GE, mairie)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Bellevue
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