Le Châtelard
Origin of the name Le Châtelard
The name suggests a fortified site from the Burgundian period.[1]
Founding of Le Châtelard
Le Châtelard lies on one of the ridges of the Gibloux, above its south-west slope, with the hamlets of Le Planet and Planafaye. In the 13th century the village belonged to the Count of Gruyère, then passed in 1274 to the Count of Savoy, who granted it franchises. It was sold in 1449 to Antoine de Montagny and came to Fribourg in 1564. Le Châtelard first belonged to the parish of Vuisternens-devant-Romont, then to that of Grangettes from 1626, before getting its own in 1840. Farming and forestry support the municipality, where two thirds of the working population were still in the primary sector in 2000.[1][2]
History of Le Châtelard
13th century. The village is held by the Count of Gruyère.[1]
1274. Le Châtelard passes to the Count of Savoy, who grants it franchises.[1]
1449. Antoine de Montagny buys the village.[1]
1564. Le Châtelard falls to Fribourg.[1]
1626. Detached from Vuisternens-devant-Romont, the village joins the new parish of Grangettes.[1][2]
1725. A small chapel stands where the church will later be built.[2]
Until 1848. Le Châtelard belongs to the bailiwick, then to the district of Romont.[1]
1840. The village leaves Grangettes and becomes an independent parish.[1][2]
1842. The parish decides to build a church on the site of the chapel.[2]
1846. On 25 October Bishop Marilley consecrates the church of Saint-Bernard.[1][2]
1949. The interior of the church is renovated.[2]
1973-1974. From 8 September 1973 parishioners clear a small gravel pit near the Combes farm. The grotto is built there from 19 August 1974 and inaugurated in October, in the snow.[3]
1998-2001. The church is fully renovated.[2]
2013. On 28 May the Council of State approves the Glâne prefect's merger plan, which places Le Châtelard in a project of seven municipalities.[5]
2023. On 1 January the parish merges with those of Massonnens and Grangettes.[4]
Population of Le Châtelard
Sources and references: [1][6]
| 1811 | 277 |
| 1850 | 427 |
| 1900 | 442 |
| 1950 | 452 |
| 2000 | 332 |
| 2025 | 362 |
Historic sites in Le Châtelard
Church of Saint-Bernard. Dedicated to Saint Bernard of Menthon (or of Mont-Joux), the parish church of 1846 has 200 seats. It was fully renovated from 1998 to 2001.[1][2]
Notre-Dame de l'Assomption grotto. Conceived by Abbé Dubey in 1971, it was built in 1974 with stones from the stream at La Tralaz, near Les Sciernes d'Albeuve, on land given by Louis Roch. Marie Menoud-Roch donated the statue of the Virgin, which came from Lourdes by train.[3]
Croix Saint-Marc. This wayside shrine at Le Châtelard belongs to the parish.[4]
Remains in Le Châtelard
Notre-Dame de la Berra. A statue of this name once stood below the Ecournis barn, the first site considered for the grotto.[3]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Châtelard, Le (FR) » (Evelyne Maradan, version du 18.12.2003)
- Unité pastorale de la Glâne, « Église de Le Châtelard »
- Unité pastorale de la Glâne, « Grotte de Le Châtelard »
- Unité pastorale de la Glâne, « Le Châtelard-Massonnens-Grangettes »
- Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message 2018-DIAF-25 du 25 mars 2019 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes de La Folliaz et Villaz-Saint-Pierre
- 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
Other villages near Le Châtelard
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