Le Séchey

Origin of the name Le Séchey

The village is first mentioned in 1489. The name is said to come from the dry grasses, straw- or rust-coloured, that cover the meadows and marshes of the site in autumn (explanation given by a local source, to be cross-checked).

Founding of Le Séchey

Le Séchey has never been a commune: it is part of the commune of Le Lieu, which originally extended over the whole Vallée de Joux. Mentioned in 1489, it is one of the hamlets that were settled mainly from the 16th century onwards, as part of the clearing of the valley that started from Le Lieu. It had its own administration as a commune fraction; in 2004 it was still one of the last two fractions of the commune of Le Lieu.

History of Le Séchey

1489. First mention of the village of Le Séchey, in the commune of Le Lieu.

16th century. The hamlets of the commune of Le Lieu, including Le Séchey, are settled.

1766. Inauguration of the village chapel.

1780. A bell is cast at Les Essertets for the chapel.

late 18th century. Le Séchey experiences a remarkable watchmaking boom in the last third of the century, before being hit hard by the crisis of the Napoleonic era.

1880. The village obtains a new school building, where the 1780 bell is installed (another source gives 1898 for the construction of the school, to be cross-checked).

1899. Opening of the Pont-Brassus railway line, which serves Le Séchey with a halt.

2004. Le Séchey remains one of the two commune fractions of Le Lieu after the abolition of that of Le Lieu.

Historic sites in Le Séchey

The village, a site of national importance. Le Séchey is listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance (ISOS).

Chapel and former school. The chapel inaugurated in 1766 at first also housed the village school, before a schoolhouse was built at the end of the 19th century, where the bell cast in 1780 was placed.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Lieu, Le »
• Archives culturelles de la Vallée de Joux, « 58. Du côté du Séchey, Le Séchey »
• Archives culturelles de la Vallée de Joux, « 25. Les écoles du Séchey »
• Wikipedia (en), « Le Lieu » (inscription ISOS)
• Wikipedia (en), « Le Séchey railway station »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Le Séchey

• Les Charbonnières (VD)
• L'Abbaye (VD)
• Le Pont (VD)
• Le Lieu (VD)
• Les Bioux (VD)