Saubraz

Canton of Vaud · District: Morges · 441 inhabitants (permanent resident population as of 31 December 2025). Note: other sources give slightly different figures for nearby years (444 in 2021, 449 in 2023), which reflects different survey dates and statistical definitions rather than a real contradiction.

Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Saubraz

The name Saubraz appears in texts as early as the 13th century. According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, the oldest attested form is « de Salubra », mentioned in the 13th century without a precise year, followed by the form « Saubra » in 1251. Non-academic sources consulted elsewhere also mention the forms « Sabrun » and « Salbrum », dated to 1237; this variant could not be confirmed by the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland or by any other reference source, and still needs to be verified directly against the original medieval deed or in a collection of Vaud charters. The current name, « Saubraz », is then found on a fragment of the 1577 Bernese map, a copy of which is displayed at Chillon Castle. None of the sources consulted offers an explanation of the word's meaning or a demonstrated link to a specific Celtic, Burgundian or Latin root: we therefore limit ourselves here to the attested written forms, without putting forward an undocumented etymological hypothesis. A reference work on Vaud toponymy would no doubt allow this point to be taken further; that work remains to be done. The inhabitants of Saubraz are called the Saubrians (or Saubriens).

Founding of Saubraz

No founding charter for the village at a precise date is known, as is the case for many small localities in this region: Saubraz seems to have formed gradually around a place of worship, rather than having been founded by the decision of a lord or an abbey at a given moment. The village is said to have developed around a church dependent on the Premonstratensian abbey of Lac-de-Joux (also called the Abbaye), attested as early as the 13th century and destroyed by fire in 1251. One source further indicates that occupation of the site would be much older, probably from Celtic times; however, this claim belongs to local tradition rather than to a published and documented archaeological dating, and should therefore be read as a hypothesis rather than an established fact. In the Middle Ages, several religious and seigneurial institutions shared rights and land over the territory of Saubraz: the priory of Romainmôtier, the priory of Bonmont, the abbey of Lac-de-Joux and the lords of Aubonne. The de Mestral family, a Vaud noble family otherwise well known for other holdings in the canton (notably at Echichens, with no direct link to Saubraz, which should not be confused), reportedly began acquiring land in the village as early as 1477. A 1481 census mentions four hearths (households) in the territory, for a total income of about ten florins. According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, a noble fief was established at Saubraz between 1493 and 1497 by Jean de Mestral, son of Arthaud; during the 17th century, this fief passed to the d'Allinges family, without this source giving a precise end date. A non-academic source consulted elsewhere placed this event instead in 1510, through an act of fealty by Jean Mestral to the Count of Gruyère, with the end of this status in 1717; these last details could not be confirmed by the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland and should therefore be treated with caution. The coat of arms of Saubraz, a shield party per pale of gules and gold with a silver crane rising over it, accompanied in the upper right by a gold star, attests that the House of Gruyère held the barony of Aubonne, on which Saubraz depended, from 1393 to 1554. The meaning of the gold star remains unknown.

History of Saubraz

Prehistory (hypothesis). According to local tradition, an isolated stone « tucked away deep in the woods », difficult to find, is said to have served as a place of worship for ancient, possibly Celtic religious rites. This stone is also documented independently by another source. This is an oral tradition and an interpretation, not an established archaeological dating: to be treated with caution.

Roman era. A cupmarked stone (cup-shaped hollows carved into the rock) survives at the place called « Es Vaux », near the village, attested as a remnant of the Roman era. A Roman stele, from a villa that once stood near the present-day cemetery of Saubraz, is now kept at the Town Hall of the neighbouring municipality of Bière.

13th century. First known written mention of the place, in the form « de Salubra », according to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland. Non-academic sources also cite the forms « Sabrun » and « Salbrum », dated to 1237; this information could not be confirmed by a reference source and still needs to be verified.

1251. Appearance of the form « Saubra ». The village church, which was dependent on the Premonstratensian abbey of Lac-de-Joux, is destroyed by fire.

1393-1554. The House of Gruyère holds the barony of Aubonne, on which Saubraz depends; the memory of this has remained in the municipal coat of arms (the crane).

1477. The de Mestral family begins, according to one source consulted, to acquire land at Saubraz.

1481. A local census mentions four hearths (households) in the territory of Saubraz, for an income estimated at about ten florins.

1493-1497. According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, Jean de Mestral, son of Arthaud, establishes a noble fief at Saubraz. A non-academic source placed this event instead in 1510, with an act of fealty to the Count of Gruyère; this last detail was not confirmed by the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

1536. Bernese conquest of the Pays de Vaud. Saubraz henceforth shares the administrative fate of Aubonne.

1577. The name « Saubraz », in its current form, appears on a fragment of the Bernese map of that year, a copy of which is displayed at Chillon Castle.

17th century. The noble fief of Saubraz passes to the d'Allinges family, according to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, which does not give an exact end date for the fief's status. A non-academic source mentioned an end in 1717, information not confirmed by the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

1701. Saubraz is attached to the Landvogtei (bailiwick) of Aubonne, under Bernese administration.

1752. The village's communal bread oven, still in service today, is attested as being in use at this date.

1798-1803. Collapse of the Bernese Ancien Régime. Under the Helvetic Republic, Saubraz belongs to the canton of Léman and to the district of Aubonne.

1803. With the entry into force of the Act of Mediation, Saubraz becomes part of the newly created canton of Vaud.

1899. The ruins of the old medieval church (a chapel had been built on this site), which one source identifies as dedicated to Sainte-Foy, information not found in the other sources consulted and therefore to be confirmed, are demolished during the construction of the school building. A multi-purpose communal building is erected on this site around 1899-1900.

20th century. Saubraz belongs to the Protestant parish of Gimel. The village remains a small rural municipality, with a demographic low reached around 1970.

Around 1990. The communal bread oven, municipal property, is restored, notably thanks to volunteer work.

2008. Reorganisation of the Vaud districts: the former district of Aubonne disappears and Saubraz joins the new district of Morges.

2024. Launch of a merger study between the municipalities of Gimel, Saubraz and Saint-Oyens, conducted by five working groups.

2025 (March-June). The merger agreement is presented (25 March) then approved by the three communal/legislative councils (19 June).

28 September 2025. The population of the three municipalities largely approves the merger project in a popular vote.

25 November 2025. The Vaud Grand Council unanimously approves the merger of Gimel, Saubraz and Saint-Oyens, along with the three other communal mergers voted on that day.

1 January 2027. Planned entry into force of the merger: Saubraz ceases to exist as an independent municipality and becomes a locality of the new municipality of Gimel (about 3,500 inhabitants in total), whose administration is based in Gimel. This is the most significant and most recent change of administrative status in the history of Saubraz.

Population of Saubraz

154

1798

290

1850

267

1900

155

1970

210

1980

202

2000

418

2018

423

2019

444

2021

449

2023

441

2025

Historic sites in Saubraz

Communal building. Built around 1899-1900 on the site of the old village church (destroyed in its medieval state by a fire in 1251, then rebuilt as a chapel before its final demolition in 1899 to make way for the school). One source associates this church with Sainte-Foy, a dedication we were unable to confirm with a second source; this point deserves verification. The current building brings together several communal functions.

The communal bread oven. Communal bread oven attested in service since 1752, still functional today. Its main hearth measures about 2.60 metres in diameter. It was restored, notably around 1990, thanks to volunteer work, and remains a symbol of the village's old communal life.

The hamlet and the surroundings of the Mont Chaubert. Saubraz lies at the foot of the Vaud Jura, at about 687 metres of altitude, with a high point close to 810 metres at the foot of the Mont Chaubert. The municipal territory, very largely agricultural and forested, has changed little in its general character despite recent population growth.

Remains in Saubraz

The cupmarked stone of Es Vaux. A short distance from the village, at the place called « Es Vaux », there is a cupmarked stone (a rock block bearing carved cup-shaped hollows) considered a remnant of the Roman era. It is mentioned in the sources consulted, but we have not found a published archaeological study describing it in detail: verification by a source specialised in Vaud archaeology would be useful.

The isolated stone in the forest. A remarkable stone, difficult to access, is reported by several sources as having possibly served as a ritual or religious site in ancient times, without this function being archaeologically demonstrated. It is located in the forest, in the area of the Aubonne arboretum. To be treated as local tradition rather than as an established archaeological fact.

The Roman stele of the vanished villa. A Roman stele, from an ancient villa that once stood near the present-day cemetery of Saubraz, is now kept at the Town Hall of Bière, a neighbouring municipality. Its current place of conservation (Bière) should not be confused with its place of discovery, which is indeed located within the territory of Saubraz.

The remains of the old medieval church. The village's medieval church, a dependency of the abbey of Lac-de-Joux, burned down in 1251 and was then rebuilt as a chapel; this chapel was entirely demolished in 1899 during the construction of the school. No visible remains therefore exist today; only the site, occupied since then by the communal building, is known.

Sources

Other villages near Saubraz

Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.

Suggest a change