Saint-George
Origin of the name Saint-George
The place appears in 1153 in the Latin form «Sancti Georgii de Essartinis», and in 1211 a «prior sancti Georgii» is mentioned. The name comes from the dedication of the church to Saint George, martyred at Lydda under Diocletian. The words «de Essartinis» link the church to Essertines, on whose parish it then depended.
Founding of Saint-George
None of the sources consulted says who founded the village. It developed around the church of Saint-Georges, recorded in 1153 and belonging to the parish of Essertines-sur-Rolle, and around a Benedictine priory built between 1153 and 1211 by the monastery of Saint-Jean in Geneva, itself dependent on the abbey of Ainay. The lords of Mont-le-Vieux held the advocacy, that is, the secular protection of the priory. Located at the foot of the Jura, on the road to the Col du Marchairuz, the village lived from livestock farming, forestry and woodcraft.
History of Saint-George
Protohistory. A fortified refuge occupies the site of Château Guyon, north of the village.
1153. First mention of the church, «Sancti Georgii de Essartinis», belonging to the parish of Essertines-sur-Rolle.
1153-1211. The monastery of Saint-Jean in Geneva, dependent on the abbey of Ainay, builds a Benedictine priory at Saint-George; the lords of Mont-le-Vieux hold its advocacy.
1211. A prior of Saint-Georges is mentioned («Bertandus prior sancti Georgii»).
Middle Ages. A medieval fortification is built at Château Guyon.
1536. Bernese conquest: Saint-George belongs to the bailiwick of Morges until 1798. At the Reformation, the church passes to the parish of Burtigny.
1542. The lordship is sold to Louis Challet.
1584. A mill is mentioned (another in 1690).
1667. The church is attached to the parish of Longirod.
1698-1740. Three glassworks operate in the area.
18th century. The lordship passes to the de Martines family.
1762. The nave of the church is remodelled (to be cross-checked).
late 18th century. Start of the exploitation of a natural ice cave, which continues until the First World War.
1798. The municipality is placed in the district of Aubonne, to which it belongs until 2006.
1816. A sawmill is mentioned.
1857. Construction of a lime kiln, restored at the end of the 20th century (to be cross-checked).
1877. The church receives a neo-Gothic west front with a bell tower (to be cross-checked).
1923. Adoption of the municipal coat of arms, Saint George slaying the dragon, based on a medal given in 1918 to mobilised soldiers (to be cross-checked).
2000. Two thirds of the working population work outside the municipality; the village has opened up to tourism with a small ski resort.
2008. Saint-George becomes part of the new district of Nyon, created by the territorial reorganisation of 2006.
Population of Saint-George
| 1764 | 263 |
| 1850 | 379 |
| 1900 | 380 |
| 1950 | 215 |
| 2000 | 618 |
| 2025 | 1'082 |
Historic sites in Saint-George
Reformed church. Recorded since 1153, it belonged in the Middle Ages to the parish of Essertines-sur-Rolle, then to Burtigny after the Reformation and to Longirod from 1667. It keeps a medieval choir; the nave was remodelled in 1762 and extended in 1877 with a neo-Gothic west front and bell tower; restored in 1958, it has a stained-glass window by Casimir Reymond (architectural details to be cross-checked).
Saint-George mill and sawmill. Former water-powered installation combining a mill and a sawmill, with its millpond and large water wheel. It now houses a museum of woodworking (machinery, saws, carpenters' and woodcutters' tools, skis). The museum says it was in operation from 1548, whereas the first recorded mills date from 1584 (date of origin to be cross-checked).
Col du Marchairuz road. The village lies on the road that crosses the Jura by the Col du Marchairuz towards the Vallée de Joux.
Remains in Saint-George
Château Guyon. North of the village, this site preserves the remains of a protohistoric refuge and a medieval fortification.
Le Prieuré. Between 1153 and 1211 the monastery of Saint-Jean in Geneva built a Benedictine priory; a place name «Le Prieuré» survives near the village. None of the sources consulted describes any visible remains.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saint-George »
- Wikipédia, « Saint-George (Vaud) »
- museums.ch, « Moulin-Scierie à Saint-George »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
- Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
- swisstopo, map.geo.admin.ch (coordonnées)
Other villages near Saint-George
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