Les Monts-de-Pully

Origin of the name Les Monts-de-Pully

Name origin: the name refers to the upper part of the municipality of Pully, which stretches from Lake Geneva to the Jorat; the spellings «Monts-de-Pully», «Monts de Pully» and, in the singular, «Mont-de-Pully» are found. Its etymology is not explained in the sources consulted.

Founding of Les Monts-de-Pully

Les Monts-de-Pully is not a municipality but a locality of the municipality of Pully, in the district of Lavaux-Oron. No source consulted states when, how or by whom the settlement formed. The territory of Pully stretches from Lake Geneva to the Jorat; a narrow extension to the north-east crosses the Bois de la Chanaula and reaches the slope of the Monts-de-Pully, between the valleys of the Paudèze to the south-east and the Chandelar to the north-west. Les Monts-de-Pully is a scattered settlement at about 723 m above sea level, among fields, pastures and forests; the highest point of the municipality lies here (806 m).

History of Les Monts-de-Pully

1638. On 18 August, Pernon Cherbaz of Pully, tried for witchcraft by the criminal court of the Nobles et Bourgeois de la rue de Bourg in Lausanne, is burned alive at Vidy; in her confessions extracted under torture, she places an appearance of the Devil near the barns of Moillebourquin, on the Mont-de-Pully.

1955. On 10 March, a fire ravages the roof space of the Collège principal of Pully, whose bell of 1915 is destroyed (an event concerning the whole municipality).

1956. On 5 May, the two new bells of the Collège principal, «Patience» and «Espérance», acquired thanks to the generosity of the population, are inaugurated; the collection was first started by the small class of the Monts.

1972. Inauguration of the Vita trail of the Monts-de-Pully, at the place called «En Chenaulaz», presented as the 250th Vita trail in Switzerland (to be cross-checked).

Historic sites in Les Monts-de-Pully

Fields, pastures and forests of the Monts. From the vineyard terraces of Pully, forest paths climb to the fields and pastures of the Monts-de-Pully; the municipality extends there in a narrow corridor through the Bois de la Chanaula, between the Paudèze and the Chandelar.

Vita trail En Chenaulaz. Forest fitness trail at the Monts-de-Pully, at the place called «En Chenaulaz», inaugurated in 1972; it is now 1.8 km long with 50 m of climb.

Cabane des Monts-de-Pully. Unstaffed shelter at 688 m above sea level, in the woods of the Monts-de-Pully.

Legends of Les Monts-de-Pully

The Devil of the Mont-de-Pully. According to the confessions extracted under torture from Pernon Cherbaz, burned for witchcraft in 1638, the Devil, who allegedly called himself «Gabriel» and took human form, appeared to her some twelve years earlier as she was coming down from the barns of Moillebourquin, on the Mont-de-Pully, towards the «rio» of Mauxbosson; he allegedly appeared to her again three days later near the weathervane of Montmorrens. This account reflects the beliefs and procedure of the witch trials of the time.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, Patrick Moinat, Catherine May Castella, André Schmutz, « Pully », version du 01.06.2012
• Pully Patrimoine, « La sorcière de Pully »
• Pully Patrimoine, « Cloches de Pully »
• Wikipédia, « Pully »
• Wikipedia (de), « Pully »
• Feuille des avis officiels du canton de Vaud, « Alphabet des communes vaudoises : Pully »
• Ville de Pully, « Forêts de Pully : activités »
• Dorsdehors, « Cabane des Monts-de-Pully »
• Office fédéral de topographie swisstopo, géoportail fédéral map.geo.admin.ch, recherche « Les Monts-de-Pully »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Les Monts-de-Pully

• Belmont-sur-Lausanne (VD)
• Epalinges (VD)
• La Conversion (VD)
• La Croix (Lutry) (VD)
• Paudex (VD)