La Sonnaz
Origin of the name La Sonnaz
The three municipalities put forward the name La Sonnaz to the Municipalities Department on 26 September 2002. On 8 November the nomenclature commission suggested « Lossy » instead. That idea was dropped on 28 January 2003, La Sonnaz was chosen and the federal offices gave a favourable opinion. The river appears in the coat of arms as a silver wave.[1][2]
Founding of La Sonnaz
La Sonnaz unites La Corbaz, Cormagens and Lossy-Formangueires, 833 inhabitants in legal population on 31 December 2001 over 6.90 km². Lossy-Formangueires was itself the product of the 1982 merger. The communal assemblies adopted the agreement on 20 May 2003, the Grand Council passed the decree on 12 September and the merger took effect on 1 January 2004, with state aid of 375'636 francs. The arms show a silver rose on blue, recalling the lords of Thudingen, advocates of the church of Belfaux, the wave of the river, and a gold water wheel on red for the two former mills, at Lossy and at the confluence with the Sarine. The red and gold come from the three former municipalities.[1][2][3]
History of La Sonnaz
1834. On 25 August, Lossy and Formangueires are united administratively.[2]
1866. La Corbaz and Cormagens set up a single municipal council.[4]
1981. On 6 October, Formangueires (23 yes, 4 no) and Lossy (36 yes, 6 no) vote for their merger. The same year, Cormagens refuses to merge with La Corbaz.[2][4]
1982. On 1 January, Lossy-Formangueires replaces the two municipalities, by decree of the Grand Council of 10 November 1981.[2][3]
1999. The three mayors Pierre Wuillemin, Christian Sahli and Conrad Overney lay the first groundwork for a merger at an informal meeting.[1][2]
2001. On 5 July, the three municipal councils set up a merger commission.[1][2]
2002. On 26 September, the municipalities propose the name La Sonnaz. On 8 November, the nomenclature commission puts forward Lossy.[1][2]
2003. A first draft agreement is sent on 27 January. The next day, the name La Sonnaz is adopted.[1][2]
2003. On 23 April, an information evening brings the population together.[1][2]
2003. On 20 May, the assemblies accept the agreement: 79 yes, 27 no and one abstention at La Corbaz, 28 yes, 21 no and one blank ballot at Cormagens, 77 yes with no opposition at Lossy-Formangueires.[1][2]
2003. On 8 July, the Council of State sends its message and the draft decree to the Grand Council.[1]
2003. The Grand Council adopts the merger decree on 12 September.[2][3]
2003. On 26 September, the new municipal council is constituted.[2]
2004. On 1 January, La Sonnaz replaces the three municipalities.[1][2]
2013. On 28 May, the Council of State approves the « Sarine-Nord » merger plan, which includes La Sonnaz with Autafond, Belfaux, Chésopelloz, Corminboeuf, Grolley and Ponthaux.[5]
Population of La Sonnaz
Sources and references: [6]
| 2025 | 1'481 |
Historic sites in La Sonnaz
Municipal administration. It is housed at Lossy, route du Moulin 49.[2]
School. The municipality's kindergarten and primary classes are at Lossy.[2]
Sources
- Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message n° 77 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes de La Corbaz, Cormagens et Lossy-Formangueires (08.07.2003)
- Commune de La Sonnaz, « Présentation de la commune »
- État de Fribourg, « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes » (RSF 141.1.2), législation fribourgeoise
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Cormagens » (Marianne Rolle, version du 27.09.2016)
- Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message 2023-DIAF-39 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes de Grolley et de Ponthaux (07.05.2024, version allemande)
- Service de la statistique du canton de Fribourg (SStat), « Population des communes, de 1900 à 2025 » (T01-02-03), population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near La Sonnaz
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