La Mothe

Origin of the name La Mothe

Mentioned in the 14th century in the form « la Mottaz » (« Hugo de Champvent, seigneur de la Mottaz »), then in 1437 in the phrase « supra Motam ». The name refers to the natural mound, a small rounded hill that almost closed the valley to the west and on which the castle stood. It goes back to a pre-Latin word « motta », « height, rounded summit », and thus means « knoll, small rise ».

Founding of La Mothe

La Mothe is a hamlet located upstream of the village of Vugelles, in the municipality of Vugelles-La Mothe. No source consulted names a founder. The locality owes its name and role to a castle, probably of Savoyard type, built on a natural mound. In the 14th century La Mothe became the centre of a lordship separated from that of Champvent in 1324, which included in particular Vugelles and Orges; according to the municipality it also extended to Longeville, Mathod, Sergey, Ballaigues and Lignerolles (to be cross-checked). Also according to the municipality, the castle was built by the lords of Champvent in 1334-1340. The known economic and demographic data concern the whole municipality.

History of La Mothe

14th century. First mention, « la Mottaz », in the title of Hugo de Champvent, seigneur de la Mottaz.

1324. The lordship of La Mothe, with Vugelles and Orges, is separated from that of Champvent; it is held by the lords of Vufflens and of Neuchâtel.

1334-1340. The lords of Champvent build the castle of La Mothe.

1377. Marguerite de Vufflens brings the castle to her third husband, Jacques de Vergy; the Vergy family hold the lordship.

1437. Mention in the phrase « supra Motam ».

1476. The castle is destroyed during the Burgundian Wars.

1526. On the municipality's territory, the Fontannet spring drives a paper mill; it also powers a mill and forges.

1536-1798. La Mothe belongs to the Bernese bailiwick of Yverdon.

1597-1798. The lordship is held by various families: Masset, Diesbach, Thormann, Muller de La Mothe.

1798. La Mothe is assigned to the district of Yverdon.

19th century. The castle ruins are still visible; today only levelled walls and traces of ditches remain.

1849. Vugelles and La Mothe are separated from Orges and form an independent municipality.

early 20th century. The Fontannet spring provides power for workshops cutting jewel stones for watchmaking (municipality).

Historic sites in La Mothe

The castle mound. Small rounded hill that almost closed the valley to the west and gave the hamlet its name. It carried the castle, centre of the lordship of La Mothe from the 14th century to 1476.

Fontannet spring. Vauclusian spring of the municipality, whose intermittent waterfall drops more than 40 metres into the Arnon. For centuries it provided water power to a paper mill (attested from 1526), a mill, forges and later workshops making jewel stones for watchmaking.

Remains in La Mothe

Remains of the castle of La Mothe. Castle probably of Savoyard type, built on a natural mound and destroyed in 1476 during the Burgundian Wars. Its ruins were still visible in the 19th century; today only levelled walls, fragments of walls and traces of ditches remain.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Mothe, La »
• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Vugelles-La-Mothe »
• Commune de Vugelles-La Mothe, « Historique »
• Wikipédia, « Vugelles-La Mothe »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near La Mothe

• Vugelles-La Mothe (VD)
• Bullet (VD)
• Vuitebœuf (VD)
• Peney (VD)
• Orges (VD)