Belmont-Broye
Origin of the name Belmont-Broye
The name combines the Belmont, a hill whose slopes close off the municipality to the south, and the Broye, which bounds it to the north together with the Arbogne. The coat of arms shows the hill in green and the wavy river in blue, beneath four castle battlements standing for the four former municipalities. The black and white recall the canton of Fribourg. On the same heights a small lordship of Belmont, vassal of the Montagny, is recorded from 1173 to 1376.[3][5]
Founding of Belmont-Broye
Since 1 January 2016 Belmont-Broye has united Domdidier, Dompierre, Léchelles, which has included Chandon since 1994, and Russy. The four-municipality study began in autumn 2012, after a wider project in the lower Broye had been abandoned. The merger agreement was signed on 26 June 2014 and the citizens of the four municipalities accepted it on 28 September 2014. An appeal against the vote in Domdidier delayed the outcome until March 2015. The four municipalities had 4'768 inhabitants at the end of 2013, on 25.79 km². The names of the four villages remain in use.[1][3][4]
History of Belmont-Broye
1994. Chandon and Léchelles merge under the name Léchelles, under a decree of 27 May 1994.[6]
2009. A six-municipality merger project is launched in the lower Broye. It is abandoned in 2011.[1]
2012. In the autumn, Domdidier, Dompierre, Léchelles and Russy open a four-way study.[1]
2013. On 28 May the Council of State approves a merger plan providing for a Basse-Broye (Sud) made up of these four municipalities and Montagny. On 3 December a first meeting informs the population.[1]
2014. The merger agreement is signed on 26 June and presented to the residents on 28 August.[1]
2014. On 28 September Domdidier votes yes by 597 to 563, Dompierre by 274 to 49, Léchelles by 229 to 86 and Russy by 107 to 36.[1][3]
2014-2015. An appeal lodged on 3 October 2014 against Domdidier's decision is dismissed by the Cantonal Court on 15 January 2015, then by the Federal Supreme Court on 2 March.[1]
2015. The Council of State sends its message to the Grand Council on 31 March. The Grand Council passes the merger law at its sitting of 20 May.[1][2]
2016. Belmont-Broye is born on 1 January.[1][3][4]
2017. On 1 January the parishes of Domdidier, Dompierre-Russy and Léchelles-Chandon in turn unite as the parish of Notre-Dame du Belmont.[7]
Population of Belmont-Broye
Sources and references: [1][8]
| 2010 | 4'297 |
| 2013 | 4'768 |
| 2025 | 6'287 |
Historic sites in Belmont-Broye
Municipal administration. The seat of the municipality is in Domdidier, Pré-de-la-Cour 4.[3]
Sources
- Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message 2015-DIAF-26 du 31 mars 2015 accompagnant le projet de loi relatif à la fusion des communes de Domdidier, Dompierre, Léchelles et Russy
- Grand Conseil du canton de Fribourg, affaire 2015-DIAF-26, « Fusion des communes de Domdidier, Dompierre, Léchelles et Russy (Belmont Broye) »
- Commune de Belmont-Broye, « La commune, histoire »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Belmont-Broye » (version du 15.09.2016)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Belmont (FR) » (Ernst Tremp, version du 11.11.2016)
- État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »
- Unité pastorale Notre-Dame de Tours, « Paroisse de Notre-Dame du Belmont »
- Service de la statistique du canton de Fribourg (SStat), « Population des communes, de 1900 à 2025 » (T01-02-03), population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Belmont-Broye
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