Serrières
Origin of the name Serrières
The place is recorded from 1178 in connection with its church dedicated to Saint John. In 1228 a deed already mentions mills « in aqua de Sarreros », meaning « in the water of Serrières ». The name designates both the river, the Serrière, and the village that grew up at its mouth. A derivation from Latin serra (saw), linked to the sawmills on the stream, is sometimes suggested (to be cross-checked).
Founding of Serrières
Serrières was not founded by a seigneurial act: it grew up at the mouth of the Serrière, a river less than 700 metres long, on a site occupied since Antiquity. Gallo-Roman baths were excavated there in 1908, a Merovingian cemetery, one of the most important in the canton, lay at Les Battieux, and remains of a 7th-century religious building were found beneath the church. Around this church dedicated to Saint John, recorded in 1178, Serrières formed an independent parish that included the hamlet of Suchiez and Peseux (until 1882). In civil terms it belongs to the municipality of Neuchâtel, of which it is a district. The river's water power made its fortune: mills from the 13th century, a paper mill authorised in 1477, then the chocolate factory founded by Philippe Suchard in 1826.
History of Serrières
2nd-3rd century. Gallo-Roman baths are built at the mouth of the Serrière; they will be excavated in 1908.
7th century. A Merovingian cemetery, one of the most important in the canton, occupies the site of Les Battieux; a religious building of the same period precedes the present church.
1178. First mention of the church of Serrières, dedicated to Saint John and centre of an independent parish.
1228. A deed mentions mills « in aqua de Sarreros ».
1477. Count Rudolf of Hochberg authorises the building of a paper mill: beginning of the Serrières paper mills.
1811. The waters of the Serrière drive 38 mill wheels.
1826. Philippe Suchard, born in Boudry, founds his chocolate factory in Serrières, using the river's power to grind cocoa beans.
1858. A railway viaduct is built across the valley (to be cross-checked).
1875. The Suchard factory employs 100 workers.
1882. Peseux ceases to belong to the parish of Serrières.
1887. The Borel paper mills change hands.
1892-1908. Construction of the Cité Suchard, regarded as a model of social housing.
1901. Suchard creates the Milka brand.
turn of the 20th century. The valley has about ten Suchard factories employing up to 2'000 workers.
1930. Suchard SA becomes a holding company: end of the family business.
1931. Launch of Sugus sweets.
1945. First archaeological excavations in the church of Saint-Jean, resumed in 1997.
1970. Suchard merges with Tobler.
1981. Closure of the Serrières paper mills.
1982. Excavations at Les Battieux uncover 38 Merovingian graves; the same year Klaus Jacobs acquires a majority stake in Suchard.
1990. Jacobs-Suchard, taken over by Philip Morris, ends all chocolate production in Neuchâtel and moves it to Bern; Sugus are the last products made in Serrières.
2014. Completion of the Serrières tunnel of the A5 motorway.
2025. The town puts a preliminary project for redesigning the valley's public spaces out to public consultation.
Historic sites in Serrières
Temple de Serrières (former church of Saint-Jean). Church recorded in 1178, built over the remains of a 7th-century religious building revealed by the excavations of 1945 and 1997. It is said to have been remodelled in 1666 by the architect Jonas Favre, and its last priest, Emer Beynon, to have become its first Reformed pastor (to be cross-checked).
Cité Suchard. Workers' housing estate built between 1892 and 1908 for the chocolate factory's staff, regarded as a model of social housing.
Le Minaret de Philippe Suchard. Villa with an oriental-style silhouette built for Philippe Suchard, named after its turret; it is dated to 1868 (to be cross-checked).
La Fabrique rouge. Former Suchard chocolate factory building, dated to 1906 (to be cross-checked), converted into lofts, a sheltered workshop and craft premises.
Le pont Berthier. Bridge about sixty metres long crossing the valley some twenty metres up, built in the time of Prince Berthier (1806-1814) (to be cross-checked).
Serrière valley. Less than 700 metres long, one of the shortest watercourses in Switzerland, it concentrates the traces of eight centuries of water-powered activity, from the mills to the Suchard factories.
Remains in Serrières
Gallo-Roman baths. Baths of the 2nd-3rd century excavated in 1908 at the mouth of the Serrière; part is now visible with information panels (to be cross-checked).
Merovingian cemetery of Les Battieux. One of the most important Merovingian cemeteries in the canton; the 1982 excavations uncovered 38 graves of the 7th century.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, article « Neuchâtel (commune) »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, article « Suchard » (entreprise)
- Wikipédia FR, « Serrières (Neuchâtel) »
- Wikipédia FR, « Philippe Suchard »
- Wikipedia EN, « Philippe Suchard »
- Ville de Neuchâtel, « Vallon de la Serrière »
- Ville de Neuchâtel, « Histoire industrielle »
- Ville de Neuchâtel, « Repères historiques »
- Le Temps, « La Serrière, la vie après Suchard »
- Julien Sansonnens, « Chocolat Suchard »
- Pro Monumentis, campagne « Minaret de Philippe Suchard »
- notrehistoire.ch, « Serrières, Neuchâtel »
- État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 4 février 2026 homologuant le recensement cantonal de la population au 31 décembre 2025
Other villages near Serrières
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