Les Vieux-Prés

Origin of the name Les Vieux-Prés

Name origin: not explained in the sources consulted. The place is said to correspond to the former « Geneveys-de-Saint-Martin », one of three sites granted from the 14th century to the free settlers known as « geneveysans » (to be cross-checked).

Founding of Les Vieux-Prés

Les Vieux-Prés is a mountain hamlet of the municipality of Val-de-Ruz at 1'030 metres above sea level, above Dombresson and Chézard, with scattered settlement. Before the merger of 1 January 2013, the hamlet belonged to the valley and mountain territory of the former municipality of Dombresson. No founder is known. The site is said to be one of those granted from the 14th century by the lord of Valangin to free settlers, who enjoyed privileges for clearing still virgin land (to be cross-checked).

History of Les Vieux-Prés

14th century. Free settlers known as « geneveysans », granted privileges by the lord for clearing land, settle on three sites, including the Geneveys-de-Saint-Martin, identified with present-day Les Vieux-Prés (to be cross-checked).

1970s. An advertising postcard shows the Restaurant des Vieux-Prés, at 1'033 metres, above Chézard.

2013. Dombresson, to which the hamlet belongs, merges with thirteen other municipalities to form the municipality of Val-de-Ruz.

2014. Start of a project to rebuild the dry stone walls of the Montagne de Cernier, between Les Vieux-Prés and La Vue-des-Alpes.

Historic sites in Les Vieux-Prés

The site of Les Vieux-Prés. Mountain site listed among the sights by the municipality of Val-de-Ruz and crossed by a Chemins chouettes walk (no. 3).

The dry stone walls. On the Montagne de Cernier, between Les Vieux-Prés and La Vue-des-Alpes, dry stone walls are being rebuilt as part of a project begun in 2014.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Dombresson » (Maurice Evard)
• Espace Val-de-Ruz, Chemins chouettes, panneau « Villages vaudruziens : blasons, noms, surnoms »
• notreHistoire.ch, « Restaurant des Vieux-Prés, altitude 1033 m »
• Commune de Val-de-Ruz, « À voir ou visiter »
• geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de lieux (swisstopo)
• État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 4 février 2026 homologuant le recensement cantonal de la population au 31 décembre 2025

Other villages near Les Vieux-Prés

• Dombresson (NE)
• Chézard-Saint-Martin (NE)
• Villiers (NE)
• Cernier (NE)
• Savagnier (NE)