Chavannes-près-Renens
Origin of the name Chavannes-près-Renens
The place is mentioned in 1272 in the form "Chavanes". The name Chavannes, very common in French-speaking Switzerland and France, is generally linked to the late Latin "capanna" (hut); this general explanation is not detailed in the sources consulted for this commune (to be cross-checked).
Founding of Chavannes-près-Renens
Chavannes has no known founder. Objects from the Bronze Age, the Roman period and the early Middle Ages show early occupation. In the Middle Ages several noble families, including the Cojonex, held rights here alongside the cathedral chapter of Lausanne; the inhabitants belonged to the Lausanne banner of the Pont (1368). The village remained very small until the 20th century, then grew with the expansion of Renens station, the 1964 motorway and the arrival of the University of Lausanne.
History of Chavannes-près-Renens
Bronze Age. Objects showing human presence.
Roman period. Roman remains.
1272. First mention, in the form "Chavanes".
1368. The inhabitants belong to the Lausanne banner of the Pont.
1536-1798. Chavannes belongs to the Bernese bailiwick of Lausanne.
1764. The village has 63 inhabitants.
1770. The community receives official recognition.
1850. The village has 157 inhabitants.
1902-1911. Expansion of Renens station, which triggers a first phase of growth.
1910. The commune passes 1'000 inhabitants (1'010).
1964. Construction of the Lausanne-Geneva motorway.
1977. First building of the University of Lausanne's humanities faculties in the commune (a second in 1987).
1985. The Vaud cantonal archives move here.
2000. The commune has 6'023 inhabitants, almost half of foreign origin.
Population of Chavannes-près-Renens
| 1764 | 63 |
| 1798 | 106 |
| 1850 | 157 |
| 1900 | 295 |
| 1910 | 1'010 |
| 1950 | 1'162 |
| 1970 | 2'961 |
| 1980 | 4'908 |
| 1990 | 6'102 |
| 2000 | 6'023 |
| 2025 | 10'735 |
Historic sites in Chavannes-près-Renens
University of Lausanne buildings. Two buildings of the humanities faculties (1977 and 1987) stand in the commune, on the edge of the Dorigny campus.
Vaud cantonal archives. Based in Chavannes since 1985, they hold the written memory of the canton.
Market gardens in the south. The southern part of the commune keeps flower and vegetable growing, a reminder of its farming past.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Chavannes-près-Renens »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
Other villages near Chavannes-près-Renens
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