Noble-Contrée
Origin of the name Noble-Contrée
Noble-Contrée became the name of a municipality with the merger of Miège, Venthône and Veyras. Where it comes from is not yet known.[1]
Founding of Noble-Contrée
The municipality of Noble-Contrée was created by the merger of the former municipalities of Miège, Venthône and Veyras. The vote in favour of the merger was clear. The new municipality spreads its services across the former municipal buildings: the reception desk in Veyras, the school management and the police in the former administration building of Venthône. The territory lies on the slope of the right bank of the Rhône, above Sierre: Veyras on a spur overlooking the town, Miège among the vineyards, west of the Raspille, which marks the boundary with German-speaking Upper Valais, and Venthône halfway up the slope. In the Middle Ages the three villages belonged to the episcopal lordship of Sierre. For a long time they also shared the parish of Saint-Maurice-de-Laques.[1][3][5][6][7]
History of Noble-Contrée
1131. Venthône appears as « Venthona ». The Bishop of Sion grants his lordship there as a fief to the Venthône family, which holds it until around 1390.[5]
1226. Miège is mentioned for the first time, as « Mieio ».[6]
15th century. Miège, Venthône and Veyras together form the middle third of the Contrée of Sierre, until the end of the Ancien Régime.[5][6][7]
1612. The name of Veyras is first recorded, as « Veras ».[7]
1660. Venthône leaves the parish of Saint-Maurice-de-Laques, at Mollens, and becomes a parish.[5]
1785. Until this date Miège also belongs to Laques. It then forms its own parish.[6]
1839. Miège becomes a political commune. Its burghers' community is set up in 1872.[6]
1882-1946. Veyras moves from the parish of Laques to that of Miège in 1882, then separates from it in 1946.[7]
2017. In December the executives of Miège, Venthône and Veyras accept the merger report. The popular vote is set for 10 June 2018.[2]
2018. On 10 June the three municipalities give the merger a broad yes. In November the merger contract is approved by 89 %.[2][3]
2019. In November the cantonal parliament (Grand Conseil) validates the merger of the three municipalities.[2]
2021. On 1 January the merger takes effect and the municipal council of seven members takes office. In February the municipality holds its first primary assembly.[1][2][3]
2022. In early September the municipality celebrates its merger.[2]
Population of Noble-Contrée
Sources and references: [4][5][6][7]
| 1980 | 2'291 (present-day territory) |
| 1990 | 2'996 (present-day territory) |
| 2000 | 3'270 (present-day territory) |
| 2010 | 4'117 (present-day territory) |
| 2020 | 4'550 (present-day territory) |
| 2025 | 4'727 |
Historic sites in Noble-Contrée
Reception desk in Veyras. Since January 2021 the inhabitants of Noble-Contrée go to the administration's reception desk at Avenue Saint-François 6, in Veyras.[1][3]
Former municipal administration of Venthône. The former administration building of Venthône houses the school management and the police of the new municipality.[3]
Tower of Venthône. Built in the late 12th or early 13th century, the tower housed the Venthône family before passing to the Rarogne family in 1421. It has become the town hall of Venthône. It is listed in the inventory of cultural property of national importance.[5][8]
Muzot castle, at Veyras. This 13th-century fortified house, known as the castle, stands in the Muzot quarter, which grew up on the site of a deserted medieval village. Rainer Maria Rilke lived here.[7]
Church of Saint-Sébastien at Venthône. The parish church of Venthône dates back to 1677.[5]
Church of Miège. The parish church of Miège was rebuilt in 1877-1881 and enlarged in 1932.[6]
Sources
- Commune de Noble-Contrée, « Présentation de la commune »
- Commune de Noble-Contrée, « Revue de presse »
- Commune de Noble-Contrée, « en commun », journal d'information n° 1 (janvier 2021)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Venthône » (Catherine Raemy-Berthod, version du 09.08.2021)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Miège » (Hugues Rey, version du 02.08.2021, version allemande)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Veyras » (Catherine Raemy-Berthod, version du 09.08.2021, version allemande)
- Inventaire fédéral des biens culturels (PBC), objets de la commune de Noble-Contrée (geo.admin.ch)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Noble-Contrée
Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.
Suggest a change