Buttes

Origin of the name Buttes

First written mention around 1300, in the form « Boutes ». The territory is crossed by the Buttes river. The sources consulted do not explain the origin of the name (to be cross-checked).

Founding of Buttes

No founder or founding act is known. Buttes depended spiritually (10th-16th century) and temporally (10th-14th century) on the priory of Saint-Pierre du Vautravers (Môtiers), then on the castellany of Val-de-Travers from the 14th century to 1848. The community was constituted in 1522 and belonged to the corporation of the Six Communes. The village developed as a staging post on the Vy Saulnier, the old Franco-Swiss salt road. It is now part of the municipality of Val-de-Travers (merger of 1 January 2009).

History of Buttes

10th-16th century. Buttes depends spiritually on the priory of Saint-Pierre du Vautravers, and temporally until the 14th century.

around 1300. First written mention, in the form « Boutes ».

14th century-1848. The village comes under the castellany of Val-de-Travers.

15th-19th century. Buttes is a nursery of masons and carpenters.

1522. The community of Buttes is constituted and joins the corporation of the Six Communes.

1705. A Protestant church replaces the chapel dedicated to Saint Maurice.

1714. Mention of an asphalt deposit.

1779-1862. Tile works in operation.

1835. End of the parish shared with Saint-Sulpice.

before 1848. The village is a centre of liberal patriots.

1843. Opening of a road to Sainte-Croix.

1886. Station on the Val-de-Travers Regional railway (RVT).

19th-20th century. Production of a medicinal herbal tea known as « Swiss tea ».

1901-1991. A watch manufactory operates.

1958. Opening of a home for the elderly.

1967-1983. Land consolidation.

1990. 15 % of the working population is still employed in the primary sector.

2009. On 1 January, Buttes merges with Les Bayards, Boveresse, Couvet, Fleurier, Môtiers, Noiraigue, Saint-Sulpice and Travers to form the municipality of Val-de-Travers.

Population of Buttes

Population of Buttes

1750	654
1850	1'182
1870	1'436
1900	1'393
1950	919
1990	594
2000	644
2008	601 (31 December, last census before the merger)

Historic sites in Buttes

Buttes church. Built in 1705 on the site of an old chapel dedicated to Saint Maurice. The bell tower is said to have been added in 1854 and the stained glass installed in 1948-1949 (to be cross-checked). Buttes formed a joint parish with Saint-Sulpice until 1835.

The Vy Saulnier. Old Franco-Swiss salt road on which Buttes was a staging village. A road to Sainte-Croix was opened in 1843.

Fête des Fontaines. Festival held since the 19th century on 12 September, the date on which Neuchâtel joined the Confederation in 1814.

Legends of Buttes

The serpent of the Chaîne. A tradition reported by an old author, quoted by the Inventory of Historic Traffic Routes, tells that a « serpent monstrueux » (monstrous serpent) had settled in the rocks of the Chaîne pass, between Saint-Sulpice and the Bayard tower, and laid waste to the surroundings, so that the main road to France had to be diverted through Buttes, along a path called the « Vie Saunier » or salt road.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Buttes »
• État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 21 janvier 2009 portant homologation des résultats du recensement cantonal de la population du 31 décembre 2008
• Inventaire des voies de communication historiques de la Suisse (IVS), NE 1.0.12
• Wikipédia, « Buttes » (à recouper)

Other villages near Buttes

• La Robella (NE)
• Source de l'Areuse (NE)
• Saint-Sulpice (NE)
• Fleurier (NE)
• Les Bayards (NE)