Reconvilier
Origin of the name Reconvilier
The village appears in 884 as « Roconis villare », a name that has no firm explanation yet. German speakers called it Rokwiler.[1]
Founding of Reconvilier
Reconvilier lies in the Tavannes valley, together with the hamlet of Chaindon. In 884 the village was among the possessions of the abbey of Moutier-Grandval, and it then remained in the provostry of Moutier-Grandval, under the prince-bishopric of Basel. A noble family is recorded there from the 12th to the 15th century. The village changed in the 19th century, when Bueche, Boillat et Cie set up a watch blank factory and then a brass works there.[1]
History of Reconvilier
884. Reconvilier is listed among the possessions of the abbey of Moutier-Grandval.[1]
1530. The parish of Tavannes-Chaindon, to which the village belongs, adopts the Reformation.[1]
1740. The present church is built.[1]
1798-1813. Reconvilier is French, in the department of Mont-Terrible and then Haut-Rhin.[1]
1815. The village passes to the canton of Bern.[1]
1851. Bueche, Boillat et Cie found a watch blank factory. Renamed Générale Watch Co. in 1895, it makes Helvetia watches until 1975.[1]
1853. The Société horlogère is founded. As the Reconvilier Watch Co., it makes Roskopf watches until 1970.[1]
1855. Bueche, Boillat et Cie open a brass works, which becomes Fonderie Boillat SA in 1917.[1]
1863. The municipality and the burgher commune separate.[1]
1876. Reconvilier is connected to the Basel-Biel railway line.[1]
1908. Separated from Tavannes in church matters, Reconvilier forms a parish with Saules, Saicourt and Loveresse.[1]
1986. Boillat SA, Metallwerke Dornach and Selve of Thun form the UMS group (Usines métallurgiques suisses). The Swissmetal brand appears in 1989.[1]
2004. A first strike follows restructuring. In 2006 a second one lasts several weeks.[1]
2025. On 30 November Reconvilier and Saules accept a three-way merger, which Loveresse rejects with 77.8 % voting no.[2][4]
2026. On 14 June Reconvilier and Saules vote to merge into a municipality named Clairval. The Bernese Executive Council approves it in September.[2][3]
2027. On 1 January Reconvilier and Saules are to form the mixed municipality of Clairval.[2][3]
Population of Reconvilier
Sources and references: [1][6]
| 1629 | 277 |
| 1755 | 206 |
| 1804 | 243 |
| 1850 | 361 |
| 1900 | 1'730 |
| 1950 | 2'397 |
| 1970 | 2'784 |
| 2000 | 2'417 |
| 2010 | 2'194 |
| 2020 | 2'331 |
| 2025 | 2'454 |
Historic sites in Reconvilier
Reformed church. The church dates from 1740. It was renovated in 1924-1926 and again in 1992.[1]
Primary school. The school at Rue du Collège 7 is listed in the inventory of cultural property (category B).[5]
Chaindon fair. Recorded from 1626, the Chaindon agricultural fair draws thousands of visitors to Reconvilier every year.[1]
Remains in Reconvilier
Roman bowls. Two ceramic and three bronze bowls, found in the 19th century, probably come from a Roman villa of the 2nd or 3rd century AD.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Reconvilier » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon), version du 15.01.2026
- Direction de l'intérieur et de la justice du canton de Berne, liste des projets de fusion de communes (état juin 2026)
- La Télé (ATS), « Reconvilier (BE) fusionnera avec Saules au 1er janvier », 17.09.2026
- Plattform J, « Abstimmungen in drei Gemeinden », 30.11.2025
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population, Inventaire PBC 2021, liste cantonale du canton de Berne (état au 1.1.2026)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Reconvilier
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