Les Bioux
Origin of the name Les Bioux
The place is mentioned in the mid-16th century in the form «Es Bioz». The name is linked to the birch, called «biol» or «biolle» in the old local dialect, because of the many birch trees on the site (etymology given by local sources, to be cross-checked). The inhabitants are called the «Bioulets».
Founding of Les Bioux
Les Bioux arose in the 16th century from agricultural settlement on the lands of the former abbey of the Lac de Joux: the village has 4 hearths in 1569, attributed by local tradition to four pioneers. Settlement of the territory continues in the 17th century (one source places the settlement in the first half of the 17th century: to be cross-checked). The village developed as a street village along the road on the eastern shore of the lake, with several small hamlets. It forms a fraction of the municipality of L'Abbaye, with its own administration and its own property (pastures, forests, buildings).
History of Les Bioux
mid-16th century. First mentions of the place in the form «Es Bioz».
1569. The village has 4 hearths (households).
17th century. Settlement of the territory continues.
1698. Construction of the chapel of Les Bioux, attached to the parish of L'Abbaye.
around 1710-1712. Emergence of the municipal fractions of L'Abbaye, including that of Les Bioux (to be cross-checked).
1764. The village has 331 inhabitants.
19th century. Strong Darbyite movement: the hamlet of Vers-chez-Grosjean becomes its first foothold in Switzerland.
late 19th century. Watchmaking takes hold mainly from this period (local sources date it earlier: to be cross-checked).
early 20th century. Founding of the Valjoux watch factory, financed with capital from the municipality of L'Abbaye; turned around by the Reymond family, it later passes to Ébauches SA and then to the Swatch Group.
1936-1938. Restoration of the chapel: the wooden shingle roof is replaced with copper.
1990. The village has 498 inhabitants.
Population of Les Bioux
| 1569 | 4 hearths (households) |
| 1764 | 331 |
| 1990 | 498 |
Historic sites in Les Bioux
Chapel of Les Bioux. Small temple built in 1698 on a rise, presented as the oldest period religious building still standing in the Vallée de Joux. It is notable for its barrel-vaulted wooden ceiling, its high roof and its bell tower set on the nave; its wooden shingle roof was replaced with copper in 1936-1938. Services are still held there occasionally.
Vers-chez-Grosjean. Hamlet of Les Bioux, first foothold of the Darbyite movement in Switzerland.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bioux, Les »
- Village des Bioux, « Présentation »
- Commune de L'Abbaye, « Présentation »
- Archives culturelles de la Vallée de Joux, « La chapelle des Bioux »
- Archives culturelles de la Vallée de Joux, « Quelques mots d'histoire à propos de l'usine Valjoux aux Bioux (1963) »
- Archives culturelles de la Vallée de Joux, « Bref historique des fractions de commune de la Vallée »
- Val TV, « Ça vient d'où Les Bioux ? »
- La Chaîne Météo, « Les Bioux » (coordonnées)
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
Other villages near Les Bioux
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