Charrat
Origin of the name Charrat
The name appears in 1315 as « Charas ». It is said to come from Latin carrus (cart) with the suffix -atum, meaning a place where carts passed.[1]
Founding of Charrat
Nobody knows who founded Charrat. The place enters the written record in the 11th century through Vison, where the bishop of Sion, Aymon of Savoy, ceded to the chapter his rights over an estate. The village lies in the Rhône plain between Martigny and Saxon and is made up of Vison, Les Chênes and the station quarter. A treaty with Martigny concerning the Rhône dikes brought it into the episcopal castellany of Martigny. It remained dependent on Martigny until it became a municipality of its own, and its rectorate always belonged to the parish of Martigny.[1][2]
History of Charrat
1052. The bishop of Sion, Aymon of Savoy, cedes to the chapter his rights over an estate at Vison.[1]
early 13th century. The chapel of Saint-Pierre is built.[1]
1315. First recorded in the form « Charas ».[1]
1324. Treaty between Charrat and Martigny on the Rhône dikes. Charrat enters the episcopal castellany of Martigny.[1]
1384. The castellany of Martigny passes to Savoy.[1]
1475-1798. The village belongs to the government (bailiwick) of Saint-Maurice.[1]
1836. The cantonal government allows Charrat to separate from Martigny and form an independent municipality.[1]
mid-19th century. Drainage and embankment of the Rhône. Agriculture, notably asparagus growing, becomes the main activity.[1]
1881. The station opens.[1]
around 1900. Farming-related activities cluster around the station: wholesale fruit and vegetable trade, cold stores, organic fertiliser processing, the Provins wine cellars.[1]
1948. A breach in the Rhône dike causes a flood that turns the plain into a vast lake.[1]
1963. The chapel of Saint-Pierre is replaced by a new building.[1]
2021. On 1 January Charrat merges with the municipality of Martigny.[1][2]
Population of Charrat
Sources and references: [1]
| 1850 | 341 |
| 1900 | 554 |
| 1950 | 887 |
| 1990 | 999 |
| 2010 | 1'415 |
| 2020 | 1'984 |
Historic sites in Charrat
Vison. Village of Charrat where the bishop of Sion, Aymon of Savoy, ceded his rights over an estate to the chapter in 1052.[1]
Church of Charrat. The chapel of Saint-Pierre, from the early 13th century, was replaced in 1963 by a new building. The rectorate of Charrat always depended on the parish of Martigny.[1]
Station quarter. Around the station opened in 1881, the wholesale fruit and vegetable trade, cold stores, organic fertiliser processing and the Provins wine cellars clustered around 1900.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Charrat » (Frédéric Giroud, version du 03.08.2021, version italienne)
- Ville de Martigny, communiqué de presse « Budget 2021 » (19.11.2020)
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Charrat
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