Les Moulins

Origin of the name Les Moulins

The origin of the name is not explained in the sources consulted, which also give no dated early mention of the locality. The village lies at an altitude of 890 metres on the floor of the Torneresse valley, shortly before this river flows into the Sarine.

Founding of Les Moulins

Les Moulins belongs to the municipality of Château-d'Œx, the largest municipality in the canton of Vaud, which comprises, besides the large village of Château-d'Œx, the villages of L'Etivaz, Les Moulins and Les Granges, 35 hamlets and 22 alpine pastures. The sources consulted do not say when, how or by whom the village was founded; its early history merges with that of the municipality of Château-d'Œx. The hamlet preserves some fine wooden houses from the 17th and 18th centuries, whose eaves rest on cut-out brackets, and the former Lion-d'Or inn, built in 1814 by the carpenter Moïse Henchoz. Organic Gruyère is produced here today.

History of Les Moulins

17th-18th century. Construction of wooden houses, several of which survive; their eaves rest on cut-out brackets.

1814. The carpenter Moïse Henchoz builds the Lion-d'Or inn, in the tradition of cut-out brackets.

1904. On 19 August the Montbovon-Château-d'Œx section of the Montreux Oberland Bernois railway (MOB) opens; the line runs alongside the path linking Château-d'Œx to Les Moulins, which is served today by La Chaudanne-Les Moulins station.

2008. On 1 January, together with the whole municipality of Château-d'Œx, Les Moulins moves from the former district of Pays-d'Enhaut to the new district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut.

21st century. The village produces organic Gruyère and is a stage of the Via L'Etivaz AOP, one of the cheese trails of the Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut.

Historic sites in Les Moulins

Former Lion-d'Or inn. Inn built in 1814 by the carpenter Moïse Henchoz, continuing the local tradition of eaves supported by cut-out brackets.

Wooden houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. The hamlet preserves some fine wooden houses from this period, characterised by the cut-out brackets supporting their eaves.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Château-d'Œx »
• Parcs suisses, « Les Moulins »
• Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut, « Château-d'Œx-Les Moulins »
• Wikipedia (de), « Château-d'Oex »
• Wikipedia (en), « Château-d'Œx »
• Inventaire fédéral ISOS, « Château-d'Œx »
• Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
• geo.admin.ch, Recherche de lieux (swisstopo)

Other villages near Les Moulins

• Rossinière (VD)
• Château-d'Œx (VD)
• La Tine (VD)
• La Lécherette (VD)
• L'Etivaz (VD)