La Verrerie
Origin of the name La Verrerie
The name comes from the hamlet of La Verrerie ("the glassworks"), on the north-east slope of the Progens hill, which grew up around a large glassworks. Run from the late 18th century together with lignite mines, it made crystal and bottles, before being taken over by the Saint-Prex glassworks and closing in 1914. The merger commission proposed the name, and the federal offices consulted accepted it.[1][2][5]
Founding of La Verrerie
La Verrerie was born on 1 January 2004 from the union of Le Crêt, Grattavache and Progens. The project went back to 1993 and at first included Les Ecasseys, which finally chose to merge with the municipalities of the Vuisternens-devant-Romont school district. The three assemblies approved the agreement on 17 September 2003, and the Grand Council ratified the merger by a decree of 6 November 2003. The new municipality had 893 inhabitants (legal population at 31.12.2001) on 13.42 km². Its coat of arms, adopted in 2004, combines the half eagle of the lords of Oron, the red, yellow and blue pales of Progens, the cow of Grattavache and the mount of Le Crêt.[1][2][3][6]
History of La Verrerie
1993. In March a first information meeting brings Le Crêt, Grattavache, Progens and Les Ecasseys together around a merger project. A first provisional report reaches them on 3 November 1994.[2]
2001. On 4 July the four municipalities meet again for a new study, but the four-way talks fail.[2]
2002. On 6 May Le Crêt and Grattavache accept the principle of a merger with Les Ecasseys. Two days later the Les Ecasseys assembly votes for a merger with seven municipalities of the Vuisternens-devant-Romont school district.[2]
2003. In March the Progens municipal council decides to join Le Crêt and Grattavache. The draft agreement goes to the cantonal municipalities office on 27 May, and the final version on 10 July.[2]
2003. On 17 September, after an information meeting held on the 3rd, the three assemblies adopt the agreement: 85 yes with none against in Le Crêt, 61 yes to 0 with 2 abstentions in Grattavache, 44 yes to 4 in Progens.[2][3]
2003. The Council of State sends its message to the Grand Council on 6 October. The decree of 6 November gives the municipality the name La Verrerie and grants it merger aid of 490'156 francs, paid from 2005.[2][3][4]
2004. La Verrerie comes into being on 1 January. Le Crêt, Grattavache and Progens become village names, and their citizens become citizens of La Verrerie. Together with Le Flon and Saint-Martin, created the same day, the Veveyse district goes from 15 to 9 municipalities.[1][3][7]
Population of La Verrerie
Sources and references: [2][8]
| 2001 | 893 |
| 2025 | 1'323 |
Historic sites in La Verrerie
Municipal administration. The administrative seat was in Le Crêt in 2013. The municipal administration is now housed in Progens, Route de la Colline 108.[1][6]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Verrerie, La » (version du 08.07.2013)
- Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message n° 97 du 6 octobre 2003 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes du Crêt, Grattavache et Progens
- Grand Conseil du canton de Fribourg, décret du 6 novembre 2003 relatif à la fusion des communes du Crêt, Grattavache et Progens (ROF 2003_144)
- État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »
- Dizionario storico della Svizzera, « Progens » (Jean-Claude Vial, version du 12.04.2012, texte italien)
- Commune de La Verrerie, « Présentation de la commune »
- État de Fribourg, allocution de Didier Castella, conseiller d'État, pour les 20 ans de la fusion de Saint-Martin (8 juin 2024)
- 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 Verrerie
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