Les Breuleux
Origin of the name Les Breuleux
The village appears in 1429 as « Les Bruilluit ». It was reportedly followed by « Les Brulluy » (1440), « Bruleux » (1526) and the present form in 1534, dates that are uncertain. The name is said to come from the Franc-Comtois dialect and the verb brûler (to burn), meaning « brûlis », land cleared by fire.[1]
Founding of Les Breuleux
The first settlers of Les Breuleux belonged to the neighbouring community of La Chaux-des-Breuleux. A ruling of 1472 sets the bounds of the village of Les Breuleux, and in 1528 La Chaux-des-Breuleux is granted in fief to the community of Les Breuleux. The place belonged to the lordship of the Franches-Montagnes. In church matters it depended on Montfaucon, then on Saignelégier, before becoming a parish in 1661. Since 1 January 2023 the municipality of Les Breuleux also includes the former municipality of La Chaux-des-Breuleux. It also includes the hamlet of Les Vacheries.[1][2]
History of Les Breuleux
1429. First mention, as « Les Bruilluit ».[1]
1472. A ruling sets the bounds of the village of Les Breuleux, whose first settlers belonged to the community of La Chaux-des-Breuleux.[1]
1528. La Chaux-des-Breuleux is granted in fief to the community of Les Breuleux.[2]
1629. Les Breuleux belongs to the parish of Saignelégier, having previously depended on that of Montfaucon.[1]
1661. At the request of the mayor, who points to the nearby confessional border, the parish of Les Breuleux is founded, also covering La Chaux-des-Breuleux and Le Roselet.[1][2]
1662. Construction of the Saint-Joseph church.[1]
1730. First watchmaker recorded in Les Breuleux.[1]
1770. The working population is split between farming (45 %), textiles (24 %: tailors, spinning and weaving of linen) and woodworking (14 %).[1]
1792. End of its belonging to the lordship of the Franches-Montagnes.[1]
1793-1814. Les Breuleux belongs to the French departments of Mont-Terrible, then Haut-Rhin.
1795. The priest Pierre-Joseph Bron leads the Franches-Montagnes priests who organise a clandestine ministry during the Terror.[1]
1815-1978. The municipality is part of the bailiwick, then of the Bernese district of the Franches-Montagnes.[1]
1852. The Saint-Joseph church is rebuilt.[1]
1860. The priest calls on the Sisters of Charity of Besançon to run the schools.[1]
Late 19th century. Great expansion of watchmaking.[1]
1913. Opening of the Tramelan-Les Breuleux-Le Noirmont line, the first electrified railway line in the district.[1]
1926. A cyclone destroys several houses in the village.[1]
1966. The Saint-Joseph church is enlarged. From the 1970s, tourism develops (ski lift, cross-country skiing, horse riding).[1]
1990. 57 % of the workforce is in the secondary sector (watchmaking, mechanics), 34 % in the tertiary and 9 % in the primary.[1]
2023. Merger with La Chaux-des-Breuleux (1 January).[1][2]
Population of Les Breuleux
Sources and references: [1]
| 1818 | 516 |
| 1850 | 736 |
| 1888 | 1'472 |
| 1900 | 1'442 |
| 1950 | 1'240 |
| 2000 | 1'347 |
| 2010 | 1'388 |
| 2020 | 1'513 |
| 2023 | 1'620 (merged municipality) |
| 2025 | 1'631 |
Historic sites in Les Breuleux
Saint-Joseph church. Built in 1662, just after the parish was founded (1661), rebuilt in 1852 and enlarged in 1966. It is cultural property of regional importance.[1][4]
Tramelan-Les Breuleux-Le Noirmont line. Opened in 1913, it is the first electrified railway line in the Franches-Montagnes district.[1]
La Chaux-des-Breuleux. Former municipality recorded in 1397, from which the first settlers of Les Breuleux came, merged into the municipality on 1 January 2023. Its vast peat bog is a mire landscape of national importance.[1][2]
Protected farmhouses. The farmhouses of Le Peu-Girard and Sur le Cratan, as well as two farmhouses in La Chaux-des-Breuleux, are cultural property of national importance.[4]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Les Breuleux » (Claude Rebetez)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « La Chaux-des-Breuleux » (Claude Rebetez)
- République et Canton du Jura, communiqué de presse du 4 avril 2022 (fusions Damphreux-Lugnez et Les Breuleux-La Chaux-des-Breuleux au 1er janvier 2023)
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population (OFPP), Inventaire PBC, liste cantonale du canton du Jura (état au 1.1.2026)
- Statistique Jura, tableau JU-T.01.01.03, population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025
- geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux « Les Breuleux »
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Les Breuleux
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