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Montavon

Canton of Jura · District: Delémont · 87 inhabitants (2007, locality of Montavon); the municipality of Boécourt has 953 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Part of the municipality of Boécourt
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Montavon

The village is first mentioned in 1330 in the form « Montaun ». What the name means is not yet known.[1]

Founding of Montavon

Montavon is a sunny village in the municipality of Boécourt, on the old road that linked the Ajoie to Delémont. Nobody knows who founded it: it is mentioned from 1330, and the « founding of the hamlet » is sometimes placed in 1440, a date that is not confirmed. Under the Ancien Régime it formed a mairie of the lordship of Delémont, in the Prince-Bishopric of Basel. It was a municipality during the French period (1793-1814) and since 1854 has formed a burgher commune separate from that of Boécourt-Séprais.[1][2]

History of Montavon

1302. First mention of the parish of Saint-Martin on the Mont-Repais, to which Montavon and the farmsteads of the Rangiers area belong.[1]

1330. First known mention of the village: « Montaun ».[1]

1440. Founding of the hamlet of Montavon (date uncertain).[2]

1516. Prince-Bishop Christoph von Utenheim grants Charmoille a forge concession supplied with ore from the Rangiers and Montavon.[2]

1611. The parish of Mont-Repais is attached to Boécourt.[1]

1787. Rural regulations of the community of Montavon.[2]

until 1792. Montavon is a mairie of the lordship of Delémont, in the Prince-Bishopric of Basel, until the French invasion.[1]

1793-1814. French period: Montavon forms a municipality. In 1794 a provisional union with Boécourt and Séprais is decided, with its seat first at Boécourt, then at Séprais.[1][2]

1854. Montavon forms a burgher commune separate from that of Boécourt-Séprais.[1]

1866. The burgher commune asks to separate from that of Boécourt and petitions the Bernese Grand Council to become an independent municipality.[2]

1871. The burgher commune buys the Lieu-Gallet farmstead.[2]

1875. A wolf is shot at Montavon.[2]

1884. Tender for building the Boécourt-Montavon-Develier roads.[2]

1898. Construction and inauguration of the Sainte-Anne chapel.[1][2]

1942. Consecration of the chapel.[2]

1969. Inauguration of the Séprais-Montavon-Les Rangiers water network.[2]

1971. Opening of a central school for Boécourt, Séprais and Montavon. The Montavon school is sold in 1972.[2]

1998. Restoration of the Sainte-Anne chapel.[2]

Population of Montavon

Sources and references: [1]

Population of Montavon
1888115
1900144
1910129
1960100
200787

Historic sites in Montavon

Sainte-Anne chapel. Chapel built and inaugurated in 1898, consecrated in 1942 and restored, among other times, in 1998.[1][2]

Old road from the Ajoie to Delémont. The village lies on the old road that linked the Ajoie to Delémont.[1]

Lieu-Gallet farmstead. Farmstead bought by the burgher commune of Montavon in 1871. The farm had been destroyed by fire in 1868.[2]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Montavon » (François Kohler)
  2. Chronologie jurassienne, « Montavon (Boécourt) »
  3. Statistique Jura, tableau JU-T.01.01.03, population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025
  4. geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux « Montavon »

Other villages near Montavon

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