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Villages / Fribourg / Gruyère district / Pont-en-Ogoz

Pont-en-Ogoz

Canton of Fribourg · District: Gruyère · 2'050 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Pont-en-Ogoz

The municipality created in 2003 took the name of the former municipality of Pont-en-Ogoz, which had become Le Bry in 1970. The first draft agreement, in October 2001, proposed « Ogoz », but after a meeting with the cantonal nomenclature commission the three municipalities chose Pont-en-Ogoz. « Pont » comes from the fortified small town, now deserted, and from the « Pont de Thusy », a crossing of the Sarine between Pont-la-Ville and Vieux Châtel.[1][5]

Founding of Pont-en-Ogoz

Since 1 January 2003 Pont-en-Ogoz has united Avry-devant-Pont, Le Bry and Gumefens on the shore of the Lake of Gruyère. Its past is that of the lordship of Pont. The lords of Pont, recorded around 1160, probably had their first castle near Vieux Châtel, then in the 13th century a second castle, a small town and the chapel of Saint-Théodule in a loop of the Sarine. Avry-devant-Pont, seat of the parish, depended on this lordship, which Fribourg bought in 1482 and made its first bailiwick. The administration of the present municipality is based in Avry-devant-Pont.[1][2][4][5]

History of Pont-en-Ogoz

Mesolithic to Middle La Tène. People frequent the site of Vers-les-Tours.[1]

Around 1160. The lords of Pont appear. Their first castle probably stood near Vieux Châtel.[1]

1250. Three co-lords of Pont pay homage to Peter II of Savoy.[1]

13th century. A second castle is built, together with a small town and the chapel of Saint-Théodule.[1]

Mid-14th century. The plague brings about the decline of the small town.[1]

1359. The lordship is made a Savoyard castellany.[1]

1464. Bernard de Menthon obtains the withdrawal of the Fribourg troops.[1]

1482. Antoine de Menthon sells the lordship to Fribourg, which makes it its first bailiwick.[1][2]

16th century. The small town is abandoned.[1]

1617-1798. The bailiwick bears the name Pont-Farvagny, and its court sits in Farvagny.[1]

1655. The law of Fribourg replaces the custom of Moudon.[1]

1798. The bailiwick is abolished and its territory passes to the district of Bulle.[1]

1848. The area is attached to the district of Gruyère.[1]

1948. Filling the Lake of Gruyère floods part of the territory. Only the ruins of the castle and the chapel still rise above the water, forming the island of Ogoz.[1][4]

1970. The former municipality of Pont-en-Ogoz joins Villars-d'Avry to form Le Bry, under a decree of 25 November 1969.[1][4][6]

2002. On 24 May the three municipal assemblies approve the merger agreement: 74 yes to 10 no in Avry-devant-Pont, 65 to 9 in Le Bry, 107 to 97 in Gumefens. The Grand Council adopts the decree on 17 September.[5][6]

2003. On 1 January Avry-devant-Pont, Le Bry and Gumefens become Pont-en-Ogoz, a municipality of 9.95 km².[1][5]

2005. The primary sector still provides 24% of jobs, and the municipality looks towards Bulle and Fribourg.[1]

Population of Pont-en-Ogoz

Sources and references: [1][7]

Population of Pont-en-Ogoz
19001'219
1950885
1970766
20001'356
20051'518
20252'050

Historic sites in Pont-en-Ogoz

Island of Ogoz. The ruins of the second castle of Pont and the chapel of Saint-Théodule, both of the 13th century, have risen out of the Lake of Gruyère since 1948. The chapel was a daughter church of the parish of Avry-devant-Pont, whose patron was the hospice of the Great St Bernard.[1]

Church of Saint-Martin. The parish church of Avry-devant-Pont was rebuilt in 1833.[2]

Chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Built in Gumefens in 1618, it is a chapel of ease of the parish of Avry-devant-Pont.[3]

Remains in Pont-en-Ogoz

Vers-les-Tours. The site has yielded remains ranging from the Mesolithic to the Middle La Tène period.[1]

Vieux Châtel. An undated motte occupies the spot, where the first castle of the lords of Pont probably stood.[1][2]

Small town of Pont. The fortified small town of the 13th century, weakened by the plague in the mid-14th century, was deserted in the 16th century.[1]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Pont-en-Ogoz » (François Guex, version du 11.06.2012)
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Avry-devant-Pont » (Marianne Rolle, version du 27.09.2016)
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Gumefens » (Alain-Jacques Czouz-Tornare, version du 01.02.2017)
  4. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bry, Le » (Marianne Rolle, version du 10.10.2016)
  5. Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message n° 20 du 9 juillet 2002 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes d'Avry-devant-Pont, du Bry et de Gumefens
  6. État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »
  7. Service de la statistique du canton de Fribourg (SStat), « Population des communes, de 1900 à 2025 » (T01-02-03), population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Pont-en-Ogoz

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