Combremont-le-Petit

Origin of the name Combremont-le-Petit

The village's name is first attested in 911 in a Latin form transcribed according to the sources either as "Cumbromo" or as "Combramo" (the exact spelling of the original mention is to be cross-checked), then in 1142 in the form "Combremont", close to the current spelling. The place name is said to derive from the words "combe" (small valley) and "mont" (height), but this etymology remains a plausible hypothesis rather than a certainty confirmed by the sources consulted, to be cross-checked.

Founding of Combremont-le-Petit

No verified source mentions a precise founding act or an individual founder for Combremont-le-Petit. The village probably developed as a rural settlement of the early Middle Ages, the first known mention dating back to 911. Combremont-le-Petit and its neighbour Combremont-le-Grand share a common toponymic origin, the name "Combremont" originally designating a single area of the Broye, but the two localities already appear as two distinct seigneurial entities during the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, the territory of Combremont-le-Petit belonged to the authority of Arthaud d'Estavayer, information to be cross-checked for lack of further details found on the precise circumstances of this authority.

History of Combremont-le-Petit

911. First attested mention of the place, in a Latin form close to "Cumbromo"/"Combramo" (exact spelling to be cross-checked).

1142. The name appears in the form "Combremont", close to the present-day designation.

14th century. The territory is under the authority of Arthaud d'Estavayer, a regional lord, to be cross-checked for the exact detail of this dependency.

1406-1436. The village has about 27 hearths (households), according to the registers of the time.

1449. The territory belongs to the counts of Savoie.

1536. Conquest of the Pays de Vaud by Berne: Combremont-le-Petit joins the bailiwick of Moudon, which it will keep until 1798.

1537. Girard de Mestral acquires the neighbouring seigneury of Combremont-le-Grand (the two seigneuries remain distinct).

1553. The seigneury of Combremont-le-Petit is acquired by the de Mestral family, a junior branch of the family.

1629-1630. Berne strips the junior Mestral branch of the seigneury of Combremont-le-Petit, invoking a procedural irregularity in a witchcraft trial; the exact date (1629 or 1630 depending on the record) is to be cross-checked.

1798. End of Bernese rule; the village moves to the district of Moudon (Helvetic Republic, then canton of Vaud).

1803. The village is attached to the district of Payerne, which it will keep until 2006.

1820. Construction of the town hall.

1838. Construction of the school building.

1870. Construction of the present church, which has always functioned as a parish subsidiary of the church of Combremont-le-Grand.

1908. Opening of a mutual credit fund in the village.

1927. Introduction of a postal bus line serving the locality.

1979. Development of a villa zone, marking the residential urbanisation of the village.

2006. The village joins the new district of Broye-Vully as part of the Vaud territorial reorganisation.

2011. On 1 July, Combremont-le-Petit merges with Cerniaz, Combremont-le-Grand, Granges-près-Marnand, Marnand, Sassel, Seigneux and Villars-Bramard to form the new municipality of Valbroye.

Population of Combremont-le-Petit

Population of Combremont-le-Petit

1406-1436	27 hearths (households)
1764	247
1798	341
1850	445
1900	399
1950	329
1970	272
2000	368
2009	378

Historic sites in Combremont-le-Petit

Combremont-le-Petit church (1870). Built in 1870, this church has always functioned as a parish subsidiary of the mother church of Combremont-le-Grand, which illustrates the close religious link between the two villages despite their administrative and seigneurial separation.

Town hall (1820). Administrative building erected in 1820, seat of the former municipality of Combremont-le-Petit until the 2011 merger.

Former school building (1838). School built in 1838, evidence of the village's communal school organisation in the 19th century.

Village listed in the Swiss built heritage inventory. The whole village is listed in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites (ISOS), recognising the heritage value of its traditional village fabric, to be cross-checked for the precise detail of the inventory record.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, notice "Combremont-le-Petit"
• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, notice "Mestral, de (VD, Combremont)"
• Wikipédia FR, article "Combremont-le-Petit"
• Wikipedia EN, article "Combremont-le-Petit"

Other villages near Combremont-le-Petit

• Combremont-le-Grand (VD)
• Forel-sur-Lucens (VD)
• Treytorrens (VD)
• Champtauroz (VD)
• Cremin (VD)