Rossinière
Origin of the name Rossinière
Name origin: the old form « Ransonery » (or « La Ransonery ») is recorded in the 12th century; one source gives 1115, another 1155 (to be cross-checked). The old German name is « Russeneire » or « Russeneiri », and the patois name « La Rochenaïrè ». The origin and meaning of the name are uncertain.
Founding of Rossinière
The sources consulted do not say when or by whom the village was founded. By the 13th century the community was already organised: 61 tenants were counted in 1276. Rossinière and the hamlet of Cuves (now La Tine) formed a mayoralty of the castellany of Œx, which belonged to the counts of Gruyère. The village grew along the old road that served the upper Sarine valley from the Middle Ages.
History of Rossinière
1115 or 1155. First known mention in the form « Ransonery » (date to be cross-checked).
1276. 61 tenants are counted in Rossinière.
1316. First mention of the chapel of Mary Magdalene, a daughter chapel of Château-d'Œx.
1388. The count of Gruyère grants release from mortmain.
1555. Rossinière comes under Bernese rule and joins the bailiwick of Gessenay (Saanen) until 1798.
1556-1559. After the Reformation the chapel becomes the parish church.
1600. On 19 April a fire destroys 21 buildings and eight granaries.
1645. Enlargement of the church (rebuilding of the nave).
1702. The hamlet of Cuves, threatened by floods of the Sarine, is moved; it takes the name La Tine.
1752-1756. Construction of the Grand Chalet for Jean-David Henchoz.
1776. On 24 October a fire destroys ten houses.
1798. Rossinière joins the district of Pays-d'Enhaut (until 2006); watchmaking is recorded the same year.
1852. The Grand Chalet is turned into a hotel; its guests include Victor Hugo and Léon Gambetta.
1855. On 11 January a fire destroys the lower part of the village.
1904. Opening of the narrow-gauge Montreux-Oberland bernois (MOB) line.
1910-1912. Restoration of the church.
1971-1975. Further restoration of the church.
1973. Creation of the Vernex reservoir on the Sarine.
1977-2001. The painter Balthus lives in the Grand Chalet until his death.
Population of Rossinière
| 1276 | 61 tenants |
| 1476 | 57 tenants |
| 1584 | 800 |
| 1766 | 622 |
| 1850 | 636 |
| 1900 | 772 |
| 1950 | 584 |
| 2000 | 507 |
| 2025 | 504 |
Historic sites in Rossinière
The Grand Chalet. Built from 1752 to 1756 for Jean-David Henchoz, with a masonry base by Gabriel Massar, carpentry by Joseph Genayne of Château-d'Œx and painted decoration by Jean Raynaud and his wife Marie Perronet. It has a 27-metre facade, is 20 metres high at the ridge and has 113 windows for 60 rooms. Its facades bear some 2'800 characters of inscriptions composed by Henchoz. Designed to store up to 600 wheels of cheese, it became a hotel in 1852 and, from 1977 to 2001, the home of the painter Balthus. It is listed as a cultural property of national importance.
Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. Former daughter chapel of Château-d'Œx recorded from 1316, enclosed by walls on a promontory above the village. It became the parish church after the Reformation, was enlarged in 1645 and restored in 1910-1912 and again in 1971-1975.
The village. The built site of Rossinière is listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance (ISOS).
La Tine gorge and Lac du Vernex. The La Tine gorge, on the border with the canton of Fribourg, and the Vernex reservoir, created on the Sarine in 1973, lie within the municipality.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Rossinière »
- Inventaire fédéral des sites construits à protéger en Suisse (ISOS), « Rossinière »
- Wikipédia, « Rossinière »
- Wikipédia, « Grand Chalet de Rossinière »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
- geo.admin.ch, coordonnées de la localité
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Rossinière
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