Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

Origin of the name Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

The name Saint-Légier refers to Saint Léger (Leodegar), bishop of Autun in the 7th century, to whom the local church is dedicated; the locality first appears in texts in 1228 in the Latin form Sanctus Leodegarus (to be cross-checked). The name La Chiésaz, the village's second core, derives from the late Latin casa, designating a house or rural estate; it is attested as early as 1215 in the form La Chiesa, then in 1242 in the form Chesas (to be cross-checked). The historical municipality thus bore a double name, uniting two neighbouring hamlets each born around a place of worship.

Founding of Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

The territory has long been occupied: a Bronze Age axe and burials from the La Tène period found on site attest to a human presence well before the first written mentions (to be cross-checked). The two settlement cores, La Chiésaz and Saint-Légier, gradually formed in the Middle Ages around places of worship: a family chapel was built there in 1223 by the lords of Blonay, who then held authority over the territory (to be cross-checked). The village therefore has no single, dated founding by a known figure or single act: it formed gradually under the overlordship of the lords of Blonay, then of the counts of Savoy who made it a barony around 1300 (to be cross-checked).

History of Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

Bronze Age - La Tène. A Bronze Age axe and burials from the La Tène period discovered in the territory attest to early human occupation, well before the first written sources (to be cross-checked).

1079. The territory belongs to the lords of Blonay (to be cross-checked).

1215. First known written mention of La Chiésaz, in the Latin form La Chiesa (to be cross-checked).

1223. The lords of Blonay have a family chapel built on the site, the religious core at the origin of the village's development (to be cross-checked).

1228. First known written mention of Saint-Légier, in the Latin form Sanctus Leodegarus (to be cross-checked).

1242. New mention of La Chiésaz, in the form Chesas (to be cross-checked).

around 1300. The territory comes under the authority of the counts of Savoy, who set up a barony there (to be cross-checked).

1363. A fief exchange places Saint-Légier under the direct control of Savoy (to be cross-checked).

1565-1686. The territory temporarily comes back under the authority of the de Blonay family (to be cross-checked).

1536. Bernese conquest of the Pays de Vaud; the territory is attached to the bailiwick of Vevey (to be cross-checked).

1740. Construction of the Château d'Hauteville, considered one of the most remarkable Baroque buildings in the canton of Vaud.

1798-1803. Helvetic period: the territory is part of the canton of Léman before entering the canton of Vaud (to be cross-checked).

1798. The municipality is incorporated into the district of Vevey (to be cross-checked).

1902. Opening, on 1 October, of the Vevey-Blonay-Chamby narrow-gauge railway, which serves the village (to be cross-checked).

1904. Opening of a secondary line connecting Vevey to Châtel-Saint-Denis via Saint-Légier (to be cross-checked).

1911. The line to Les Pléiades is converted into a rack railway (to be cross-checked).

1931. Adjustment of the municipal boundary: the Gilamont district is ceded to the municipality of Vevey (to be cross-checked).

1969. Closure of the secondary line connecting Saint-Légier to Châtel-Saint-Denis (to be cross-checked).

2006. On 31 August, the district of Vevey is dissolved; the municipality joins the new district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut.

2020. On 27 September, the population of Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz and Blonay approves by vote the principle of a merger of the two municipalities (to be cross-checked).

2022. On 1 January, Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz merges with Blonay to form the new municipality of Blonay-Saint-Légier.

Population of Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

Population of Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

1850	912
1900	1'101
1910	1'255
1930	1'245
1950	1'397
1960	1'585
1970	2'230
1980	2'787
1990	3'578
2000	4'068
2021	5'627

Historic sites in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

Hauteville Castle. Built in 1740, Hauteville Castle is one of the most remarkable Baroque buildings in the canton of Vaud. It is listed, together with the local Reformed church, among the Swiss cultural properties of national significance recorded in the territory of the former municipality.

Notre-Dame de La Chiésaz Reformed Church. Of Romanesque origin from the 12th century, the current building was largely rebuilt in the 15th century, with a porch-tower from the early 16th century; a Romanesque southern apsidiole has been preserved (to be cross-checked). The church is classified as a Swiss cultural property of national significance.

Priory house. Built in the 17th century in the immediate vicinity of the church, the former priory house bears witness to the local ecclesiastical organization (to be cross-checked).

Remains in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

Bronze Age axe and La Tène graves. A Bronze Age axe as well as burials dating from the La Tène period have been uncovered in the territory of the municipality, attesting to human occupation well before the first written sources (to be cross-checked).

Chapel of the lords of Blonay (1223). A family chapel, built in 1223 by the lords of Blonay, constitutes the oldest known religious core around which the village developed (to be cross-checked).

Sources

• Wikipédia FR - Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz
• Wikipédia DE - Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz
• Wikipédia EN - Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz
• Wikipédia FR - Blonay-Saint-Légier (commune fusionnée)

Other villages near Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz

• Blonay (VD)
• Fenil-sur-Corsier (VD)
• Corsier-sur-Vevey (VD)
• La Tour-de-Peilz (VD)
• Jongny (VD)