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Villages / Fribourg / Veveyse district / Bossonnens

Bossonnens

Canton of Fribourg · District: Veveyse · 1'661 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Bossonnens

Bossonnens is recorded around the year 1000 as « Bucenens », in a document of the chapter of Notre-Dame in Lausanne that draws on older sources. The name would designate the community of a Germanic settler whose name began with « B », the ending « -ens » matching the Germanic « -ingen ». The forms « Bussenant », « Bossenung », « Bossenans » and « Bossonens » follow.[1][2]

Founding of Bossonnens

The village grew up on the old Roman road from Vevey to Oron, where a villa stood. Towards the end of the 10th century its land was handed to the abbey of Saint-Maurice as a free allod. The Blonay held it from the 11th century, then the Oron before 1248, and from 1134 the lordship joined Attalens, Granges and Bossonnens. Its centre was the castle on the rocky spur above the village, with the town founded around 1260 by Amédée d'Oron. In 1455 the inhabitants bought the communal oven and moved it down to the new village at the foot of the rocks. Once a dairy-farming community, the municipality has become residential, with many commuters to Lausanne and Vevey. The ruins of Bossonnens castle are now a laid-out site.[1][3][4]

History of Bossonnens

Late 10th century. The land of Bossonnens is handed to the abbey of Saint-Maurice as a free allod.[1]

1134. The lordship joins Attalens, Granges and Bossonnens, held by the Blonay.[1]

12th century. A square keep rises on the rocky spur, probably built by the Blonay around 1150.[1][3]

1221. Rodolphe d'Oron is lord of Bossonnens. He gives the canons of the Great St Bernard the land for a chapel dedicated to Saint Claude.[3][4]

Around 1260. Amédée d'Oron has the round tower built and founds the town, some twenty houses between the tower and the castle, with no charter of franchises.[1][3][5]

1300. Amédée d'Oron acquires Remaufens and La Rougève. He has also acquired Tatroz, Vuarat and La Siva, lands for which the count of Savoy is his overlord.[1][4]

1307. On Amédée's death the lordships of Bossonnens and Attalens are separated. They are reunited in 1374-1375.[1][3]

1358. The chapel of Saint-Claude and the chapel of Saints Andrew and Theodulus, in the castle courtyard, are recorded.[1]

1410. Under Marguerite d'Oron's will the lordship passes to the La Sarraz family. It declines in the 15th century.[1][3]

1455. On 18 April the inhabitants buy the communal oven from Claude de La Sarraz and move it to the new village. The town declines.[1][3][4]

1475. On 28 October, during the Burgundian Wars, the castle is set on fire.[1][3]

1513. Georges de La Sarraz sells the lordship to the duke of Savoy, who installs a castellan.[1][3]

1536. Bern conquers Bossonnens, then hands it to Fribourg, which makes it a bailiwick. The municipality receives the arms of the extinct La Sarraz family.[1][2][3]

1615-1618. The seat of the bailiwick moves to Attalens. On 8 May 1618 Fribourg sells the ruined castle and its estate to councillor Henri Lamberger.[1][3]

1716. The chapels of Saint-Claude and of Saints Andrew and Theodulus are pulled down. Their materials are used to build the chapel of Saint-André in the village.[1][3]

1798-1848. Bossonnens belongs to the district of Châtel-Saint-Denis, then to that of the Veveyse.[1]

1901. Bossonnens station opens on the Palézieux-Montbovon line.[1]

1990. The Association for the enhancement of the medieval remains of Bossonnens is founded to save the ruins.[3]

Population of Bossonnens

Sources and references: [1][7]

Population of Bossonnens
1811184
1850251
1870331
1888301
1900313
1930436
1950405
20001'041
20251'661

Historic sites in Bossonnens

Ruins of the castle and town. On the « Sur la Tour » spur, the square keep, the round tower and stretches of wall recall the castrum of the lords of Oron-Bossonnens. The ruins are listed in the inventory of cultural property of national importance (category A) and have their own page.[5][6]

Chapel of Saint-André. Built in the village in 1716 with the stones of the two medieval chapels. A Way of the Cross by Charles Cottet was installed there in 1987.[1][3]

Remains in Bossonnens

Roman villa. A Roman villa stood beside the road from Vevey to Oron.[1]

Fortified site. A large fortified site, separate from the castle, has not yet been excavated.[1]

Chapel of Saint-Claude. Recorded in 1358, probably on the site of a sanctuary mentioned from 1221, it was pulled down in 1716.[1]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bossonnens » (Marianne Rolle, version du 10.03.2011)
  2. Les vestiges de Bossonnens, « Un nom et un blason »
  3. Les vestiges de Bossonnens, « Quelques dates clés »
  4. Les vestiges de Bossonnens, « L'époque féodale »
  5. Inventaire suisse des biens culturels, « Bossonnens, ruines du château et du bourg » (KGS 01960)
  6. Office fédéral de la protection de la population, « Révision Inventaire PBC 2021 : Liste cantonale Canton de FR » (état au 1.1.2026)
  7. 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 Bossonnens

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