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Villages / Valais / Saint-Maurice district / Daviaz

Daviaz

Canton of Valais · District: Saint-Maurice · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Massongex has 2'148 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
Part of the municipality of Massongex
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Daviaz

The name Daviaz remains unexplained, and its first mention is undated.

Founding of Daviaz

Daviaz arose from the gradual settlement, in the Middle Ages, of the slope above the village of Massongex. At that time the Rhône prevented any development in the plain. The community of Daviaz thus long made up nearly half, or even more, of the municipality's population. The records clearly distinguish the two centres, but Massongex and Daviaz have always formed a single community. The church stayed in Massongex, while each place long had its own school. Daviaz is today one of the municipality's eight hamlets. Lying at 724 m, the hamlet overlooks the plain and forms the link with the neighbouring municipality of Vérossaz.[1][2][6]

History of Daviaz

Middle Ages. The slope above Massongex is gradually settled.[1]

16th century. With the first efforts to contain the Rhône, the plain begins to gain the upper hand over the slope.[1]

1790. Inhabitants of Vérossaz, Evionnaz, Daviaz and Massongex enter Saint-Maurice armed with rifles.[1]

1923. Daviaz gets its own chapel, dedicated to the Sacred Heart (1925 according to another source). The priest Jérémie Clivaz has it built with the support of the inhabitants.[1][2][3][7]

Historic sites in Daviaz

Chapel of the Sacred Heart. The hamlet's first chapel. Until then its inhabitants depended on the church of Massongex. It replaced the first place of worship, a private one in the house of Count Riant at La Vorpillière.[1][2][7]

Daviaz road. Thanks to the many donations of the Riant family, the municipality was able to realign and improve the road linking Daviaz to the main village.[7]

Chemin de Chépis. On foot, Daviaz is reached by the Chemin de Chépis. The Carro-Chépis path runs down from Daviaz to Les Haussays.[7]

Sources

  1. Commune de Massongex, « Histoire » (section « Et Daviaz dans tout ça ? »)
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Massongex » (Albano Hugon, version du 27.08.2008, version allemande)
  3. Léon Dupont-Lachenal, « Nos morts : M. l'abbé Jérémie Clivaz, curé de Massongex », Echos de Saint-Maurice, t. 43, 1945, p. 137-139
  4. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  5. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées du hameau)
  6. Commune de Massongex, « Présentation et situation »
  7. Associations des Chemins bibliques, « Chemins bibliques archéologiques et pédestres. Le Tour du district de Saint-Maurice », livret 1 (PDF)

Other villages near Daviaz

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