Soral
Origin of the name Soral
First mentioned in 1236 in the form « Sorraz », in a deed of the knight Pierre de Vulbens concerning a gift to the charterhouse of Oujon, near Arzier. The form « Sorra » is also cited. The etymology of the name remains unexplained.[1][2]
Founding of Soral
No one knows who founded the village. Traces of settlement are attested since Roman times, and a gold coin seems to indicate a presence as early as the Celtic period. In the Middle Ages the de Viry and de Rougemont families and the priory of Saint-Victor held rights at Soral, whose inhabitants belonged partly to the parish of Thairy, partly to that of Viry. The municipal status took shape in the 19th century: assigned to the canton by the Treaty of Turin, Soral was first part of the Communes réunies of Avusy-Laconnex-Soral, remained united with Laconnex when the Grand Council created the municipality of Avusy, and became an independent municipality in 1850.[1][2]
History of Soral
Celtic period. A gold coin, discovered in 1882 and kept at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich, seems to indicate a human presence already at this time.[2]
Roman times. Traces of settlement are attested on the territory.[1]
1236. First mention, in the form « Sorraz », in a deed of the knight Pierre de Vulbens concerning a gift to the charterhouse of Oujon.[1][2]
Middle Ages. The de Viry and de Rougemont families and the priory of Saint-Victor hold rights at Soral. The inhabitants belong partly to the parish of Thairy, partly to that of Viry.[1][2]
1329-1339. The de Viry family builds the La Perrière estate, above Rougemont.[2]
14th century. A cross is carved on the Pierre de Justice, an erratic boulder marking a jurisdictional boundary.[2]
1527. A Genevan citizen, Maillet, insulted at Saint-Julien, is attacked by people from Soral and Laconnex who call him « traitre esquenoulx » (eidguenot).[2]
1536. Soral is placed under the Bernese bailiwick of Ternier and adopts the Reformation.[1]
1567. The village returns to Savoy.[1]
1731. Symbolic execution at the Pierre de Justice: Pernette Gay and a certain Moré, who had fled, are represented by their painted effigies.[2]
1816. The Treaty of Turin assigns Soral to the canton of Genève. The village is part of the Communes réunies of Avusy-Laconnex-Soral.[1][2]
1829. Creation of the Catholic parish of Laconnex-Soral.[1]
1831. Construction of the church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens at Soral.[1]
1840. The improvement of the road to Genève ends the village's isolation.[1]
1848. The Grand Council creates the municipality of Avusy. Laconnex and Soral remain together.[2]
1850. The Grand Council separates Laconnex and Soral: Soral becomes an independent municipality.[1][2]
1924. The municipal council takes the emblem of the lords de Rougemont into the coat of arms.[2]
1951. Opening of the Laconnex-Soral-Avusy bus line.[1]
1995. In April the Pierre de Justice is moved near Norcier without the agreement of the Soral authorities.[2]
2009. On 19 September the Pierre de Justice returns to Soral during a celebration organised with the municipality of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, after the rehabilitation of the former La Feuillée landfill and gravel pit.[2]
Population of Soral
Sources and references: [1][3]
| 1860 | 333 |
| 1900 | 329 |
| 1950 | 241 |
| 2000 | 597 |
| 2025 | 934 |
Historic sites in Soral
Church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens. Church built in 1831 for the parish of Laconnex-Soral created in 1829. It was built at Soral rather than halfway between Laconnex and Soral.[1][2]
Pierre de Justice. Erratic boulder marking a jurisdictional boundary, carved with a cross in the 14th century and the site of an execution in effigy in 1731. Moved near Norcier in 1995, it returned to Soral in 2009.[2]
La Perrière estate. Estate built between 1329 and 1339 by the de Viry family, above Rougemont.[2]
The village. The village was listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites (ISOS). It was removed in the 2021 update.[5]
Remains in Soral
Rougemont castle. Castle of the nobles de Rougemont, whose first mention is dated to the end of the 11th century. Its remains lie buried under the vineyard, near the road to Viry.[2]
Burgundian graves. Burgundian graves located east of the village.[2]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Soral » (Sybille Eyer Degennes), version allemande remaniée le 24.05.2013
- Commune de Soral, « Histoire »
- Office cantonal de la statistique (OCSTAT), Mémento statistique du canton de Genève 2026, tableau Population résidante par commune, en 2025
- geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (coordonnées)
- République et canton de Genève, « Mise à jour de l'Inventaire fédéral des sites construits d'importance nationale à protéger en Suisse (ISOS) pour les cantons de Genève et des Grisons », 23.03.2021
Other villages near Soral
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