La Reuchenette
Origin of the name La Reuchenette
The names of La Reuchenette and of its neighbour Rondchâtel still lack a sure explanation.
Founding of La Reuchenette
La Reuchenette and Rondchâtel are two hamlets of the former municipality of Péry, on the Suze. Rondchâtel lies south of La Reuchenette, above the falls of the Suze, and was a fief separate from Péry until 1766. Tradition places a castle there, but its existence is not proven. La Reuchenette belonged to the mayoralty of Péry. Both places owe their history to industry, from the 17th-century blast furnace to the 19th-century cement works. La Reuchenette also had a bathing establishment for about twenty years.[1][2][3][4]
History of La Reuchenette
1340-1365. Conrad, mayor of Biel, received the fief of Rondchâtel from his brother, Bishop Johann Senn von Münsingen.[2][4]
Fin du XIVe siècle. Rondchâtel passed to the de Nans, then to the d'Orsans, families from Franche-Comté, who kept it until 1766.[2][4]
1654. Prince-Bishop Johann Franz von Schönau had a blast furnace and a mill built at La Reuchenette. The communities of the provostship of Moutier-Grandval agreed to contribute labour.[1][4][6]
1655. The blast furnace was fired on 1 January.[6]
1657. The prince-bishop closed the Péry glassworks and gave its wood to the blast furnace.[3]
1693-1756. La Reuchenette became a noble fief, held by the Chemilleret family until it died out in 1756. The bishop then leased it to an Alsatian industrialist, then to the mayor of Courtelary.[1][4]
1766. When the d'Orsans died out, Rondchâtel returned to the prince-bishop, who leased it to the community of Péry.[2][4]
1782. The site had a forge, a manor house, an inn and a fulling mill let to chamois tanners from Biel.[1][4]
1786. Nicolas Heilmann, the prince-bishop's receiver, took possession of Rondchâtel. The burghers of Péry, obliged to supply him with wood, resented it.[2]
1797-1813. Paul George and Jean-Pierre Cugnotet bought the forges in 1797. Under French rule La Reuchenette became national property and the noble fief was abolished.[1][6]
1842. On 20 July the coal shed of the forges burnt down.[6]
1867. The Société des forges d'Undervelier, which ran the forge, closed it.[1][4]
1872. On 3 November the Reuchenette tunnel was driven through for the railway line.[6]
1874. The opening of the Biel-Les Convers line brought industry. The Frenchman Constant Peck founded a lime and cement works at Rondchâtel.[2][4]
1882. Oscar Miller, director of the Biberist paper mill, founded a wood pulp factory at Rondchâtel, closed in the early 21st century.[2]
1890. On 1 January the Solothurn cement company Portland Vigier opened a branch at La Reuchenette.[1][6]
1902. Vigier bought the Rondchâtel lime works, which is still in operation.[2][6]
1912. On 29 May a boulder crashed onto a Sonceboz-Biel train.[6]
1967. On 17 June a large landslide struck the area. Rail traffic was provisionally restored, and the road reopened in December.[6]
1995. Ciments Vigier SA became part of Vigier Holding SA. In the early 21st century the plant produced 600'000 tonnes a year and employed 125 people.[1]
Historic sites in La Reuchenette
Vigier cement works. The large cement works of La Reuchenette and Rondchâtel. The company archives of Vigier Ciments SA, at Rondchâtel, are listed in the inventory of cultural property of regional importance.[4][7]
Paper factory and old henhouse of Rondchâtel. Two buildings at Rondchâtel, the paper factory and an old henhouse, are listed in the inventory of cultural property of regional importance.[7]
Remains in La Reuchenette
Rondchâtel site. The municipality lists Rondchâtel among its medieval castle sites. A castle is said to have stood on the hill, but little is known of it.[2][4][5]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Reuchenette, La » (Anne Beuchat-Bessire, version du 03.10.2016)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Rondchâtel » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon, version du 19.10.2016)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Heutte, La » (Anne Beuchat-Bessire, version du 09.11.2021)
- Commune de Péry-La Heutte, « Histoire »
- Commune de Péry-La Heutte, « Ruines et vestiges »
- Chronologie jurassienne, « Reuchenette »
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population, Inventaire suisse des biens culturels d'importance nationale et régionale, liste du canton de Berne (2026)
Other villages near La Reuchenette
Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.
Suggest a change