Sembrancher
Origin of the name Sembrancher
The place appears in 1177 as « Sancti Pancratii de Branchi ». The old German name is « St. Branschier ». The name is reportedly a Franco-Provençal corruption of « Saint-Pancrace », the first patron of the church, but this is not certain.
Founding of Sembrancher
The site, at the confluence of the Dranse de Bagnes and the Dranse d'Entremont, has been inhabited since prehistory, as the settlement and graves of Crettaz-Polet show. In the early Middle Ages it was an estate of the Bishop of Sion, under the jurisdiction of the vidomne of Orsières, before passing to the counts of Savoy. A staging post on the Mont-Joux route, on the Great St Bernard axis, the town obtained franchises, extended several times, and rights of fair, market and souste (staging). A well-organised burgher community existed from the end of the 13th century, and Sembrancher became the seat of the castellany of Entremont. After the conquest of Lower Valais, the castellany formed one of the banners of the government of Saint-Maurice until 1798. Who founded Sembrancher is not known.
History of Sembrancher
Neolithic. Settlement and Chamblandes-type graves at Crettaz-Polet, occupied from the Middle Neolithic to the late La Tène period.
11th century. At the end of the century the episcopal estate comes under the rule of the counts of Savoy.
1150. The parish is served by the religious of the Great St Bernard.
1177. Mentioned as « Sancti Pancratii de Branchi ».
1239. Amadeus IV of Savoy grants franchises to Sembrancher.
1286. The church, first dedicated to Saint Pancras, is placed under the patronage of Saint Stephen.
1322. The franchises are extended, and again in 1324.
1359. Sembrancher becomes the seat of the castellany of Entremont.
1365. First mention of the hospital.
1376. Co-burghership treaty with Aigle, renewed in 1676, 1736, 1766 and 1776.
1476. Conquest of Lower Valais: the castellany becomes a banner of the government of Saint-Maurice until 1798.
1595. On 25 May a huge ice avalanche from the Giétro glacier dams the Dranse de Bagnes. The outburst devastates the whole Val de Bagnes down to Martigny and 140 people drown.[2]
1686. Baroque decoration of the church, around this date, and chapel of Chamoille.
1695. Chapel of La Garde.
1747. Bovernier, which belonged to the parish, separates from it.
1796. Trappist monks and nuns driven out of France settle in Sembrancher, which they have to leave at the beginning of 1798.
1818. On 16 June the Giétro outburst sweeps down the Val de Bagnes to Martigny. East of Sembrancher the water must have been at least 6 metres deep.[3]
1848. Sembrancher becomes the main town of the district of Entremont.
1906. Work on the Martigny-Orsières railway line attracts many workers.
1990. Foundation of the Centre régional d'études des populations alpines, based in Sembrancher.
1999. The former hospital houses the Maison de l'Entremont.
Population of Sembrancher
Sources and references: [4]
| 1802 | 567 |
| 1850 | 739 |
| 1900 | 716 |
| 1950 | 664 |
| 2000 | 792 |
| 2025 | 1'112 |
Historic sites in Sembrancher
Church of Saint-Étienne. Church first dedicated to Saint Pancras, under the patronage of Saint Stephen since 1286 and given Baroque decoration around 1686. The parish has been served by the religious of the Great St Bernard since 1150.
Former hospital. Mentioned in 1365 and renovated in 1813 and 1850, it houses the district court and, since 1999, the Maison de l'Entremont.
Chapels of Chamoille and La Garde. Chapels built in 1686 at Chamoille and in 1695 at La Garde.
Remains in Sembrancher
Prehistoric site of Crettaz-Polet. Remains of settlement and Chamblandes-type burials, from the Middle Neolithic to the late La Tène period.
Castle of Sembrancher or Entremont. Mentioned in the 13th century, the castle was reportedly built in the previous century and served as the seat of the castellany. Only a ruin above the town is said to remain.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Sembrancher (commune) » (David Rey, version du 23.11.2011)
- PLANAT (Plate-forme nationale Dangers naturels), « Historical events » : 25 mai 1595, débâcle dans le val de Bagnes
- Christophe Lambiel, Emmanuel Reynard, Pierre Corboz, Eric Bardou, Bertrand Deslarzes, Hilaire Dumoulin, « Sur les traces de la débâcle du Giétro, de Mauvoisin à Martigny » (Université de Lausanne, vers 2019)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées et ruine du château d'Entremont)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Sembrancher
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