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Gueuroz

Canton of Valais · District: Saint-Maurice · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Vernayaz has 1'978 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
Part of the municipality of Vernayaz
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Gueuroz

Gueuroz gave its name to the bridge over the Trient gorge and to the nearby Bois de Gueuroz. The meaning of the name itself remains obscure.[6]

Founding of Gueuroz

Gueuroz is a hamlet in the municipality of Vernayaz, above the Trient gorge. Its beginnings are undated. For centuries it shares the fate of Salvan before joining Vernayaz in the 20th century.[1]

History of Gueuroz

until 1798. With Ottanel and Salvan, Gueuroz forms a quarter of the castellany of Salvan, in the government of Saint-Maurice.[1][2]

1798-1912. The hamlet belongs to the municipality of Salvan.[1]

1912. Gueuroz leaves Salvan with Vernayaz and Miéville, which together form the municipality of Vernayaz.[1][2]

1932-1934. The Gueuroz bridge is built, a reinforced concrete arch with a 98.50 m span, completed on 10 June 1934 (works from 1931 to 1934 according to another source).[3][4]

1934. On 10 June, Mgr Burquier solemnly blesses the new bridge, presented as the jewel of the Martigny-Salvan road.[7]

1994. A second Gueuroz bridge is built next to the first to meet changing traffic needs. The old bridge has reportedly been reserved for pedestrians and cyclists since then.[3][8][9]

2004-2005. The 1934 bridge is restored with support from the canton of Valais and the Confederation.[3]

Historic sites in Gueuroz

Gueuroz bridge. 168 m long, it stands 187 m (189 m according to another source) above the valley floor and links Vernayaz with Salvan. It reportedly held a height record for about thirty years. The plans are by the engineer Alexandre Sarrasin, and the falsework was entrusted to a specialist from Graubünden, Richard Coray. A restoration costing 1'821'000 francs preserved its original appearance.[3][4][7][8][9]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Vernayaz » (David Rey, version du 08.07.2013)
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Salvan (commune) » (Gaëlle Bourguinet Eggs, version du 07.06.2013)
  3. Structurae, « Pont du Gueuroz (1934) »
  4. Loquis, « Pont de Gueuroz »
  5. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  6. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
  7. François-Marie Bussard, « Nouvelles », Echos de Saint-Maurice, t. 33, 1934, p. 157-160
  8. État du Valais, DTEE, Section des routes cantonales Bas-Valais, fiche « Pont du Gueuroz » (13.11.2007), PDF publié par aveg.ch
  9. Wikipedia (anglais), « Gueuroz Bridge »

Other villages near Gueuroz

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