Saxon
Origin of the name Saxon
« de Saxone » is found in 1153. The name probably derives from a personal name, Saxo, and would mean the « estate of Saxo », though this is not established. The place was also called Saxon-les-Bains.[1]
Founding of Saxon
The territory stretches from the Pierre-à-Voir (2'476 m) to the Rhône. It has yielded Bronze Age bracelets and an urn, Roman slab graves and coins, and Merovingian remains. The lordship was first a vidomnat united with that of Entremont, then an ecclesiastical lordship enfeoffed to the milites of Saxon. A Savoyard castellany in the 13th century, Saxon later became a subject castellany of the Upper Valais, attached until 1798 to the governorship of Saint-Maurice and to the banner of Entremont. Long agricultural, the municipality developed in the 19th century thanks to its spa and casino, then thanks to the draining of the plain and apricot growing.[1]
History of Saxon
Bronze Age. Bracelets and an urn; Roman slab graves and coins, then Merovingian remains are also attested.[1]
11th century. First sanctuary, probably from this period, which became a parish church before 1153.[1]
1153. Mentioned as « de Saxone ». The church belongs to the abbey of Ainay.[1]
1163-1352. The ecclesiastical lordship is enfeoffed to the milites of Saxon.[1]
1263. Saxon becomes a Savoyard castellany.[1]
1445. The dedication of the church to Saint-Maurice is attested.[1]
1475. Saxon comes under the rule of the Upper Valais as a subject castellany, attached until 1798 to the governorship of Saint-Maurice and to the banner of Entremont.[1]
1580. The church, until then incorporated into the priory of Saint-Pierre-de-Clages, passes with it to the bishopric of Sion.[1]
18th century. The old church, off-centre near the castle, is supplanted by the chapel of Saint-Blaise (15th century).[1]
1839. First spa establishment.[1]
1844. Construction of the church of Saint-Félix, which becomes the parish church. The chapel of Saint-Blaise becomes the town hall in 1846.[1]
1845. First casino building.[1]
1860. Arrival of the railway; a second casino is built in 1861 by Joseph Fama.[1]
1865-1876. Construction of the bisse (irrigation channel).[1]
1875. Foundation of the Doxa cannery, taken over by Hero in 1927 and closed in 1950.[1]
1877. Closure of the casino.[1]
1901-1904. Stay of French Carthusian monks.[1]
1949-1951. The first school of fine arts in the Valais settles in Saxon.[1]
1953. In August the population revolts against the import of foreign fruit.[1]
1996-2002. Temporary reopening of the casino.[1]
Population of Saxon
Sources and references: [1][2]
| 1802 | 463 |
| 1850 | 952 |
| 1900 | 1'636 |
| 1950 | 2'421 |
| 2000 | 3'312 |
| 2025 | 7'602 |
Historic sites in Saxon
Church of Saint-Félix. Built in 1844 and restored in 1991-1996, it replaced the old church of Saint-Maurice as the parish church.[1]
Chapel of Saint-Blaise. 15th-century chapel which supplanted the old church in the 18th century before becoming the town hall in 1846.[1]
Casino. First building of 1845, second built in 1861 by Joseph Fama after the arrival of the railway. Closed in 1877, it reopened from 1996 to 2002. The writer Fyodor Dostoevsky reportedly visited it in 1867-1868.
Gottefrey. Second village of the municipality, with hamlets and mayens.
Remains in Saxon
Castle and keep. Remains of the castle overlooking the borough, including the keep.[1]
Old church of Saint-Maurice. Church built near the castle, a parish church before 1153 and supplanted in the 18th century.[1]
Ancient remains. Bronze Age bracelets and urn, Roman slab graves and coins, Merovingian remains.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saxon (commune) » (Bernard Truffer), version du 04.04.2013
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (Saxon)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Saxon
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