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La Vieille-Bâtie

Site Canton of Geneva · Uninhabited site (municipality of Collex-Bossy)
Part of the municipality of Collex-Bossy
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name La Vieille-Bâtie

The place holds the ruins of the castle of Bâtie-Beauregard, also called Bâtie-Champion or Bâtie sur Versoix, mentioned from 1299. The name Bâtie-Champion is said to refer to the de Champion family, who reportedly held the fief from 1369 to 1641. The etymology of « Bâtie » remains unexplained.[1][5]

Founding of La Vieille-Bâtie

The seigneury of Bâtie-Beauregard was founded in 1270. It depended on the seigneury of Gex, included Collex and comprised three fortified places: the Bâtie-Beauregard, the fortified house of Collex and that of Vengeron. The castle, mentioned from 1299, belonged to the lords of Gex and defended the northern part of their territory. The seigneury was successively enfeoffed to the Compey, Menthon, Champion, Crose, Gillier and Vasserot families. The castle's ruins survive at the place called La Vieille-Bâtie, in the municipality of Collex-Bossy, on the right bank of the Léman.[1][2]

History of La Vieille-Bâtie

1270. Foundation of the seigneury of Bâtie-Beauregard, dependent on the seigneury of Gex and including Collex.[2]

1299. First mention of the castle, which belongs to the lords of Gex and defends the northern part of their territory.[1]

1536. The fief comes under Bernese rule: Bern occupies the Pays de Gex until 1567.[2][3]

1567. The Pays de Gex is returned to Savoy. The fief becomes Savoyard again.

1589. The Genevans take the castle.[1]

1590. The castle is demolished; only ruins remain. The Pays de Gex is then occupied by Geneva until it passes to France in 1601.[1][2][3]

1601-1816. The fief is French, like the rest of the Pays de Gex.[3]

1641-1642. Michel de Gillier reportedly buys the land and the title of Baron of Bâtie-Beauregard.

1719. David Vasserot acquires the barony of La Bâtie.[4]

1910-1914. A field next to the ruins reportedly served as an airfield for the Genevan aviation association, one of the first in Switzerland, until it closed in 1914.

Historic sites in La Vieille-Bâtie

Castle mound. The castle reportedly stood on a rock above the Versoix.

Remains in La Vieille-Bâtie

Ruins of the Bâtie-Beauregard. Taken by the Genevans in 1589 and demolished in 1590, the stronghold is now only a ruin at the place called La Vieille-Bâtie.[1]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bâtie, La » (Dominique Zumkeller), version de 1997 remaniée le 11.06.2026
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Collex-Bossy » (Jacques Barrelet), version du 21.01.2004
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bellevue » (Martine Piguet), version du 10.05.2004 (version allemande lue)
  4. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Vasserot, Jean » (Liliane Mottu-Weber), version de 2011 remaniée le 22.02.2013
  5. Commune de Collex-Bossy, « Les armoiries »
  6. geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (La Vieille-Bâtie, Collex-Bossy, coordonnées)

Other villages near La Vieille-Bâtie

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