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Villages / Vaud / Lavaux-Oron district / Jorat-Mézières

Jorat-Mézières

Merger 2016 Canton of Vaud · District: Lavaux-Oron · 3'209 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Jorat-Mézières

The name joins «Jorat» to the name of one of the three merged communes, Mézières.[2]

Founding of Jorat-Mézières

Carrouge, Ferlens and Mézières form Jorat-Mézières on 1 July 2016. The project, begun in 2011, is adopted in 2014. On that voting day six merger projects are put to Vaud voters: only this one and that of Lucens pass. Those of Haut-Talent, Sauteruz, Echallens and Les Ormonts are rejected. Until then a district boundary separated the three villages: Carrouge belonged to Broye-Vully, Ferlens and Mézières to Lavaux-Oron, the district to which the new municipality is assigned. Together their territories cover 1'115 hectares. The ties are old, however. The chapel of Carrouge has long been part of the parish of Mézières, and Carrouge and Mézières shared lords, from the Vulliens in the Middle Ages to the Graffenried and the Diesbach. Ferlens, for its part, first formed a single municipality with Servion. The authorities of Jorat-Mézières sit in Carrouge.[1][2][4][6][7]

History of Jorat-Mézières

1161. A deed names one Paganus de « Maseres »: this is the earliest mention of Mézières, a name written « Mexieres » in 1453.[6][7]

1180. Ferlens appears in the spelling « Fellens ».[6][7]

1282. Jean de Vulliens holds the lordships of Carrouge and Ropraz.[6]

1634. The Graffenried acquire the lordship of Carrouge. Bernard de Diesbach takes it over in 1769 and keeps it until the Revolution of 1798.[6][7]

1779-1792. For maintaining that the tithe did not apply to potatoes, Pastor Martin of Mézières was accused of high treason and held for four months in Bern. Cleared in 1791, he returned in triumph: the episode has since been called the « révolte des pommes de terre ».[6][7]

1816. On 3 June the Grand Council decided to divide Ferlens and Servion, until then a single municipality. The separation only took effect in 1820, and the common property was shared according to population: 377 inhabitants for Ferlens, 835 for Servion.[6][7]

1902. The Jorat railway, founded in 1899, opened its line between La Sallaz and Moudon. Buses replaced the trams in 1963.[7]

2011. Start of the merger project between Carrouge, Ferlens and Mézières.[2]

2014. On 30 November the voters of the three communes accept the merger.[1]

2015. Meeting on 30 April, the Grand Council committee approves the decree unanimously.[2]

2015. On 9 June the Grand Council adopts the decree unanimously, in two readings on the same day.[3]

2016. Jorat-Mézières becomes a commune on 1 July.[2][4]

Population of Jorat-Mézières

Sources and references: [2][5][6]

Population of Jorat-Mézières
20141'125 (Carrouge, at 31 December)
2014338 (Ferlens, at 31 December)
20141'202 (Mézières, at 31 December)
20162'665 (expected figure on 1 July)
20253'209

Historic sites in Jorat-Mézières

Théâtre du Jorat (Mézières). The success of « La Dîme », a play by René Morax staged at Mézières in 1903, led to this 1'200-seat hall. It opened on 9 May 1908 with « Henriette », a rustic drama by the same author. It is a cultural property of national importance.[6][7][8]

Church and parsonage of Mézières. The listed church bears the date 1706. The neighbouring parsonage dates from 1756.[7]

Chapel of Carrouge. The Graffenried had it built in 1709. It bears the initials of the carpenter Samuel Nicolas, was restored in 1927 and 1972, and still hosts one service a month of the parish of Mézières.[6][7]

La Rappettaz (Ferlens). At the place called « la Rappettaz », skeletons of great size have been unearthed. A spearhead found at Ferlens has featured in the village arms since 1923.[6][7]

Communal inn of Mézières. The municipality bought it in 1808. Its sign is listed as a historic monument.[7]

Sources

  1. État de Vaud, communiqué « Le Conseil d'État prend acte des résultats des scrutins concernant six projets de fusion de communes » (30 novembre 2014)
  2. Grand Conseil du canton de Vaud, rapport de la commission RC-219 sur la fusion des communes de Carrouge, Ferlens et Mézières (Jorat-Mézières) (mai 2015)
  3. Grand Conseil du canton de Vaud, ordre du jour et décisions de la séance du 9 juin 2015
  4. État de Vaud, « Fusions de communes en chiffres (2025) »
  5. Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
  6. État de Vaud, Conseil d'État, exposé des motifs et projet de décret no 219 sur la fusion des communes de Carrouge, Ferlens et Mézières (février 2015)
  7. Commune de Jorat-Mézières, « Historique »
  8. Office fédéral de la protection de la population (OFPP), Inventaire PBC, liste cantonale du canton de Vaud (état au 1.1.2026)

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Jorat-Mézières

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