Chavannes-les-Forts
Origin of the name Chavannes-les-Forts
The village is recorded in 1247 as « Chavanes ». No explanation of the name has been given.[1]
Founding of Chavannes-les-Forts
Chavannes-les-Forts stretches along the cantonal road from Romont to Lausanne and includes the hamlet of La Pierraz. Its chapel, a daughter church of the parish of Siviriez, is recorded from 1246. In 1262 the lords of Ecublens sold the village to Peter of Savoy. The village lives from livestock and dairying. It was at La Pierraz that Marguerite Bays, a seamstress and farmers' daughter canonised in 2019, was born in 1815. Chavannes-les-Forts is now part of the municipality of Siviriez (merger of 2004).[1][2][5]
History of Chavannes-les-Forts
1246. The chapel is mentioned as a daughter church of the parish of Siviriez.[1][3]
1247. The village appears as « Chavanes ».[1]
1262. The lords of Ecublens sell Chavannes to Peter of Savoy.[1]
1536-1848. The village comes under the bailiwick, then the district of Romont.[1]
1733. The present chapel is built or enlarged, the date being carved over its doorway. A chaplain serves it and teaches in the neighbouring presbytery-school.[1][3]
1815. On 8 September Marguerite Bays is born at La Pierraz, daughter of Pierre-Antoine Bays and Marie-Joséphine Morel, farmers. After two or three years of primary school she becomes a seamstress.[2][4]
1879. On 27 June Marguerite Bays dies at Chavannes-les-Forts. Every Good Friday she fell into an ecstatic sleep, accompanied by wounds resembling stigmata.[2]
1916. Stained glass windows are fitted in the chapel.[3]
1956. The painter Armand Niquille restores the chapel's baroque altar to its original colours.[3]
1991-2003. Gérald Bays is the last mayor of the municipality.[6]
1995. On 29 October Marguerite Bays is beatified. An icon painted by Josette Laissue is placed in the chapel.[2][3]
1999. In December Hurricane Lothar causes heavy damage to the municipal forest, which was a source of income.[6]
2000. Just under a third of jobs are still in farming, and more than half of the working population works outside the municipality.[1]
2003. On 16 May the municipal assembly approves the merger with Siviriez, Prez-vers-Siviriez and Villaraboud by 46 votes to 21.[6]
2004. Chavannes-les-Forts joins the municipality of Siviriez, under a decree of 6 November 2003.[1][6][7]
2019. On 13 October Marguerite Bays is canonised by Pope Francis.[2][4]
Population of Chavannes-les-Forts
Sources and references: [1]
| 1811 | 232 |
| 1850 | 314 |
| 1900 | 428 |
| 1950 | 312 |
| 1960 | 274 |
| 1990 | 354 |
| 2000 | 349 |
Historic sites in Chavannes-les-Forts
Chapel of Saint-Nicolas. Dated 1733 over its doorway, it is dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra, patron of the village. It keeps a flame-shaped baroque altar, stained glass of 1916 and an icon of 1995 in honour of Marguerite Bays.[1][3]
La Pierraz. The hamlet where Marguerite Bays was born, now part of Siviriez. Prayer groups meet in the saint's room.[2][4][5][8]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Chavannes-les-Forts » (Evelyne Maradan, version du 14.07.2005)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bays, Marguerite » (Francis Python, version du 19.12.2025)
- Unité pastorale Sainte Marguerite Bays, « Chapelle de Chavannes-les-Forts »
- Commune de Siviriez, « Église »
- Commune de Siviriez, « La commune »
- Commune de Siviriez, « Chronique spéciale pour les 20 ans de la fusion, 2004-2024 »
- État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »
- Unité pastorale Sainte Marguerite Bays, « Paroisse de Siviriez-Villaraboud »
Other villages near Chavannes-les-Forts
Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.
Suggest a change