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Mâche

Canton of Valais · District: Hérens · No recent published figure for the hamlet (186 inhabitants in the early 20th century). The municipality of Hérémence has 1'548 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure).
Part of the municipality of Hérémence
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Mâche

The hamlet was formerly called « Mars », a name still shown on the Siegfried map. The present name may come from Old French « mache ».[1]

Founding of Mâche

Mâche and Mâchette form a double hamlet in the municipality of Hérémence. At 1'300 metres it is the last permanent settlement of the Hérémence valley. Little is known of its early history. An outbuilding dated 1620 is among the oldest surviving buildings.[1][2]

History of Mâche

1620. Date on an outbuilding, one of the hamlet's oldest buildings.[1]

1854 and 1867. Houses dated to these years mark a period of expansion.[1]

1880. The first edition of the Siegfried map shows the hamlet's historic clusters, still named « Mars ».[1]

early 20th century. The hamlet has 186 inhabitants, against about 355 in Hérémence.[1]

1922. A large house is built at the upper edge of the hamlet.[1]

1929. The new, wider road is probably built that year, in connection with the start of work on the Dixence dam.[1]

1942. The Sainte-Barbe chapel, by the architect Lucien Praz, replaces the old, disused chapel.[1][2]

1947. Two houses go up along the road, one of them bearing this date.[1]

1960s. A dairy is built, now disused. Later development is confined to the land below the road.[1]

around 1970. A municipal building houses the school, post office and grocery, in an attempt to revive the hamlet.[1]

Population of Mâche

Sources and references: [1]

Population of Mâche
early 20th century186 inhabitants

Historic sites in Mâche

Chapel of Sainte-Barbe. Dedicated to the protector against lightning and avalanches, it holds a fresco by Charles Menge showing the life of Saint Barbara and the dangers she guards the village against. Like the chapel at Le Chargeur, it recalls the work and workers of the Dixence dams.[2][3]

Mâchette. The second cluster of the double hamlet, extended around 1950 by outbuildings.[1]

Sources

  1. Office fédéral de la culture, ISOS, « Mâche/Mâchette » (2e version, 06.1998)
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Hérémence » (Bernard Monnet, version du 09.04.2008)
  3. Val d'Hérens Tourisme, « The 8 chapels of the Val des Dix »
  4. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  5. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)

Other villages near Mâche

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