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Villages / Bern / Former Moutier district / Petit-Val

Petit-Val

Merger 2015 Canton of Bern · Former district: Moutier · 464 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Petit-Val

The municipality takes the name of the Petit-Val, the valley where the four villages lie, which there were already plans to unite in 1873. None of the merged municipalities bore this name.[1]

Founding of Petit-Val

Châtelat, Monible, Sornetan and Souboz, four mixed municipalities of the former district of Moutier, form Petit-Val. Monible, with 37 inhabitants, was the smallest municipality in the canton of Bern, and Souboz, the largest of the four, had 134. The difficulty of finding people for the municipal authorities weighed in the discussions. On 16 March 2014 the four electorates accept the merger with 72.95 % yes on a turnout of 84.72 %. The Bernese Executive Council approves it on 21 August 2014, although the new municipality remains below the cantonal minimum of 1'000 inhabitants, because its territory is contiguous. Petit-Val has existed since 1 January 2015 and covers 2'376 hectares.[1][2][3][4]

History of Petit-Val

1873. A first plan to unite the villages of the Petit-Val comes to nothing.[1]

2008. In December the four municipalities sign a preliminary negotiation agreement with eleven other municipalities of the Bernese Jura.[1]

2010. In March a strategic study proposes broad cooperation among fifteen municipalities and three mergers.[1]

2011. In March the citizens of Châtelat, Monible, Sornetan and Souboz come out in favour of the merger in a survey. Rebévelier joins the project for a time, and the five municipalities set up a steering committee chaired by Lucien Juillerat.[1]

2013. The report of the operational study is published in May. At the municipal assemblies of 5 June, Rebévelier withdraws for good.[1]

2014. On 16 March the merger agreement wins 60.61 % yes in Châtelat, 100 % in Monible, 88.89 % in Sornetan and 57.57 % in Souboz. It is the first merger project in the Bernese Jura accepted at the first vote.[1][2][3][5]

2014. On 21 August the Bernese Executive Council approves the merger.[1][3]

2015. On 1 January Petit-Val replaces the four municipalities.[1][2][4]

2015. On 5 January the new executive holds its first meeting in the municipal administration building in Souboz. The mayor is André Christen, former mayor of Sornetan, elected against Ami Gyger, a municipal councillor of Souboz.[1]

Population of Petit-Val

Sources and references: [1][4][6]

Population of Petit-Val
2015405 (or 411)
2020384
2025464

Historic sites in Petit-Val

Municipal administration. Petit-Val's administration is based in the municipal building at Souboz, where the executive first met on 5 January 2015.[1]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire du Jura (DIJU), « Petit-Val » (Kiki Lutz, 21.07.2016)
  2. RFJ, « Grand « Oui » à Petit-Val » (16.03.2014)
  3. RJB, « Naissance de Petit-Val officialisée ! » (21.08.2014)
  4. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Petit-Val » (version du 20.01.2026)
  5. Chronologie jurassienne, année 2014
  6. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Petit-Val

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