FRDEITEN
Villages / Bern / Former Moutier district / Saules

Saules

Canton of Bern · Former district: Moutier · 151 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Legends Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Saules

Saules (BE), not to be confused with Saules (NE), appears in 1179 as « Sales » (or as early as 1148). The name comes from the Latin « salix », the willow. In German it was called Saal.[1][2]

Founding of Saules

The village lies at 746 m in the Trame valley, at the foot of the Moron, and the municipality also includes the hamlet of Montagne de Saules. It is one of the oldest settlements in the Tavannes valley, once called Val d'Orval. The chapter of Moutier-Grandval collected half of the tithes here, and the village belonged to the provostry of Moutier-Grandval, in the prince-bishopric of Basel. A noble family of Saules is recorded in the 13th and 14th centuries. After the Reformation the inhabitants belonged to the parish of Tavannes-Chaindon.[1][2]

History of Saules

1148. On 17 May Pope Eugene III confirms the property of the collegiate church of Moutier-Grandval, which is entitled to half the tithes of « Sales ».[2]

1179. The village is mentioned as « Sales ».[1]

1246. Albert de Saules is mayor (maior) of the chapter of Moutier-Grandval.[1]

1294. Guidon de Saules owns the mill.[1]

1798-1813. Saules is French, in the department of Mont-Terrible, joined to Haut-Rhin in 1800 (the period is also given as 1797-1815).[1][2]

1815. After the Congress of Vienna, Saules passes with the former prince-bishopric of Basel to the canton of Bern, in the bailiwick and later the district of Moutier.[1][2]

1865. Saules becomes a mixed municipality.[1]

1908. The village is attached to the parish of Reconvilier-Chaindon.[1]

1912. The mill stops working.[1]

2025. On 30 November Saules and Reconvilier accept a three-way merger, which Loveresse rejects.[3][5]

2026. On 14 June Saules and Reconvilier vote for a two-way merger under the name Clairval. The Bernese Executive Council approves it in September.[3][4]

2027. On 1 January Saules is to merge with Reconvilier into the mixed municipality of Clairval.[2][3][4]

Population of Saules

Sources and references: [1][2][6]

Population of Saules
1775105
1804106
1818117
1850143
1900212
1920183
1930215
1950196
2000164
2010148
2020142
2025151

Historic sites in Saules

Montagne de Saules. Hamlet that makes up the municipality together with the village. Farming dominates the municipality, alongside a carpentry and joinery firm and a sawmill.[1]

Remains in Saules

Mill of Saules. Owned in 1294 by Guidon de Saules, the mill worked until 1912.[1]

Legends of Saules

The millers' wheat. The coat of arms of Saules refers to a tradition: the wheat grown in the area was, for its quality, preferred by millers.[2]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saules (BE) » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon), version du 22.01.2026 (texte italien)
  2. Commune mixte de Saules, « Présentation »
  3. Direction de l'intérieur et de la justice du canton de Berne, liste des projets de fusion de communes (état juin 2026)
  4. La Télé (ATS), « Reconvilier (BE) fusionnera avec Saules au 1er janvier », 17.09.2026
  5. Plattform J, « Abstimmungen in drei Gemeinden », 30.11.2025
  6. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025

Other villages near Saules

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

Suggest a change