Salavaux

Origin of the name Salavaux

Name origin: not explained by the sources consulted, which also give no dated early form of the name.

Founding of Salavaux

Salavaux is not a municipality: it is a village in the municipality of Vully-les-Lacs (district of Broye-Vully). Before this municipality was created in 2011, part of the village belonged to Bellerive (northern part) and another part to Constantine (southern part). The sources consulted name neither a founder nor a date of creation. The village grew up at a crossroads at the foot of the Vully, on the road linking Avenches to Neuchâtel, near an important bridge over the Broye. In the Middle Ages, most of Salavaux belonged to the lordship of Bellerive.

History of Salavaux

Middle Ages. Most of the village belongs to the lordship of Bellerive.

1592. Date of the Renaissance-style stair turret at the doorway of a manor house.

1594. Date of a fireplace bearing the arms of the Watteville family in this manor house.

1726. Construction of another Watteville house.

1744. According to Louis Levade, a marble altar bearing the inscription « BIVIS TRIBUIS QUADRUBIS », dedicated to travellers, is said to have been discovered at Salavaux (to be cross-checked).

1751-1752. The bridge over the Broye, whose upkeep often required the municipalities of the bailiwick of Avenches to haul materials, is rebuilt by the architect Abraham Burnand.

1802. On 27 September, Helvetic troops win a victory at Salavaux over a column of the Federalist army.

2011. On 1 July, with the merger coming into force, Salavaux lies entirely within the new municipality of Vully-les-Lacs, whose administrative seat is set up in the premises of the former municipality of Bellerive in Salavaux.

Historic sites in Salavaux

Watteville manor house. 18th-century manor house with a fireplace of 1594 bearing the arms of the Watteville family and a Renaissance-style stair turret of 1592 at the doorway. Another Watteville house dates from 1726.

Bridge over the Broye. Important crossing over the Broye, rebuilt in 1751-1752 by the architect Abraham Burnand; its upkeep was a burden on the municipalities of the bailiwick of Avenches.

Salavaux beach. Sandy beach at the southern end of Lake Morat, which makes Salavaux a place popular with holidaymakers.

Remains in Salavaux

Inscribed altar. According to Louis Levade, a marble altar dedicated to travellers, bearing the inscription « BIVIS TRIBUIS QUADRUBIS », is said to have been discovered in 1744. The sources consulted do not say where it is today (to be cross-checked).

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Salavaux »
• Inventaire fédéral des sites construits (ISOS), « Cotterd », fiche 4308
• Wikipedia (allemand), « Salavaux VD »
• Wikipédia, « Vully-les-Lacs »
• Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
• geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (swisstopo)

Other villages near Salavaux

• Bellerive (VD)
• Cotterd (VD)
• Constantine (VD)
• Montmagny (VD)
• Vallamand (VD)