Les Brenets
Origin of the name Les Brenets
First written mention in 1325, in the form « chiez le Bruignet ». The sources consulted do not explain the origin of the name (to be cross-checked).
Founding of Les Brenets
No founder or founding act is known. Les Brenets were at first a dependency of the priory of Morteau, in Franche-Comté, coveted by Jean III d'Aarberg, lord of Valangin. Farming, livestock and forestry played an important role from the beginnings of the locality, and the water power of the Doubs allowed sawmills and forges to be set up. The Reformation of 1534 definitively sealed the village's belonging to the lordship of Valangin, and the mairie of Les Brenets was separated from that of Le Locle in 1539. The inhabitants, members of the community of Le Locle, left it in the 17th century to found their own community, while remaining members of the « Mère commune ». The only Neuchâtel municipality on the northern slope of the Jura, Les Brenets have the Doubs as their border with France. The village is today part of the municipality of Le Locle (merger of 1 January 2021).
History of Les Brenets
1325. First written mention, in the form « chiez le Bruignet ».
1511-1512. Claude d'Aarberg has a church built at Les Brenets, which becomes a parish church.
1519. A mayor is already recorded at Les Brenets.
1520. The parish passes from the diocese of Besançon to that of Lausanne.
1534. The Reformation definitively seals the belonging of Les Brenets to the lordship of Valangin.
1539. By an act of 16 July, the mairie of Les Brenets is separated from that of Le Locle.
17th century. The inhabitants leave the community of Le Locle to found their own community, while remaining members of the « Mère commune ».
1694. Fire in the church, followed by repairs.
1702. End of the dependence of Les Planchettes on the jurisdiction of Les Brenets.
18th century. Watchmaking, home lace-making and stocking factories are booming.
around 1780. The optician Pierre-Louis Guinand settles at Les Brenets; around 1805 he develops a process for stirring molten glass that produces a very pure flint glass for optical instruments.
1806. Opening of the road from Le Locle to Les Brenets.
early 19th century. The first watchmaking comptoirs open, with a few workers.
1824. Pierre-Louis Guinand dies at Les Brenets on 13 February.
1830. Larger watchmaking workshops appear (Perret, Quartier, Ryser, Guinand).
1848. On 19 September the village is almost entirely destroyed by fire; it is rebuilt on a geometric plan.
1872-1922. The Jürgensen family, watchmakers of Danish origin, own the Le Châtelard estate, where they have a tower built around 1880 (to be cross-checked).
1890. Opening of the Régional des Brenets railway, linking the village to Le Locle.
2021. On 1 January, Les Brenets merge with the municipality of Le Locle.
Population of Les Brenets
| 1531 | 31 hearths (households) |
| 1750 | 846 |
| 1850 | 1'172 |
| 1900 | 1'420 |
| 1950 | 1'381 |
| 2000 | 1'164 |
| 2020 | 1'014 (31 December, last census before the merger) |
Historic sites in Les Brenets
Lac des Brenets. Formed after landslides that dammed the Doubs, this border lake, also called Lac de Chaillexon, allowed the hotel trade to develop at Les Brenets. It is said to be the remnant of an ancient prehistoric lake and is about 3.7 km long (to be cross-checked).
Saut du Doubs. Waterfall of the Doubs about 27 metres high, on the French-Swiss border, downstream of the Lac des Brenets. The site was listed in 1912 and in 2001 (to be cross-checked).
Village rebuilt after 1848. Almost entirely destroyed by the fire of 19 September 1848, the village was rebuilt on a geometric plan that still shapes its centre.
Church of Les Brenets. Church built in 1511-1512 on the initiative of Claude d'Aarberg, which became a parish church; burnt in 1694, it was repaired. The old church is said to house today the municipal office and the grave of Pierre-Louis Guinand (to be cross-checked).
Tour Jürgensen. Tower built around 1880 by the Jürgensen family, owners of Le Châtelard from 1872 to 1922, and restored in 1995-1996 (to be cross-checked).
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Brenets, Les »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Locle, Le »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Guinand, Pierre Louis »
- État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 10 février 2021 portant homologation des résultats du recensement cantonal de la population du 31 décembre 2020
- Wikipédia, « Les Brenets » (à recouper)
- Wikipédia, « Saut du Doubs » (à recouper)
Other villages near Les Brenets
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