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Coat of arms of Val-d'Illiez

Val-d'Illiez

Canton of Valais · District: Monthey · 2'149 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
View of Val-d'Illiez
Photo: Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Coat of arms: Public domain
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Val-d'Illiez

The form « apud Yliacum » is attested in 1180, and the parish appears in 1244 as « parrochia de Ylies ». The name is said to designate the estate of a certain Illus, with the suffix -iacum, though this is not established. The old German form is Vadelier.[1]

Founding of Val-d'Illiez

Nobody knows who founded Val-d'Illiez. The municipality, north of the Dents du Midi, comprises a village and scattered settlement. It first belonged to the metralry, then in the 15th century to the Savoyard castellany of Illiez. Its parish probably depended originally on that of Collombey. Later ceded to the Abbey of Abondance and bought back by the Bishop of Sion, it has left a trace: the parish priest still bears the title of prior. Until the 19th century Val-d'Illiez and Champéry formed a single community.[1]

History of Val-d'Illiez

1180. Mention « apud Yliacum ».[1]

1244. Mention of a « parrochia de Ylies ».[1]

1331. The Bishop of Sion cedes the parish to the Abbey of Abondance in exchange for Géronde. The abbey installs a prior and a vicar or chaplain.[1]

1434. The first church, probably from the 12th century, is replaced. Its patron is Saint Maurice, named from 1445.[1]

1536. After the conquest of Lower Valais by the dizains, the castellany of Illiez is attached to the government of Monthey.[1]

1607. The Bishop of Sion buys back the priory.[1]

1687. A new church is built.[1]

1790. General uprising and action of Pierre-Maurice Rey-Bellet, known as le Gros-Bellet.[1]

1798. The castellany passes to the district of Monthey.[1]

1839. Separation of Val-d'Illiez and Champéry, until then a single community.[1]

1840. Opposed to the Young Switzerland movement in 1840 and 1844, the inhabitants suffer two punitive occupations, in 1840 and in 1847 after the defeat of the Sonderbund.[1]

1865. Opening of a carriage road.[1]

1908. Arrival of the railway from Monthey, which merges in 1946 with the Aigle-Monthey line.[1]

1953. A hot spring gushes out during an earthquake. The spa has been developing since 1983.[1]

1959. First ski lift at Les Crosets.[1]

1997. A chapel is built at Champoussin.[1]

Population of Val-d'Illiez

Sources and references: [1][2]

Population of Val-d'Illiez
1850835
1900931
19501'007
20001'428
20252'149

Historic sites in Val-d'Illiez

Church of Saint-Maurice. Parish church whose first building, probably from the 12th century, was replaced in 1434 and again in 1687. The parish priest still bears the title of prior here, a reminder of the priory of the Abbey of Abondance.[1]

Val-d'Illiez spa. Spa born from a hot spring that appeared during an earthquake in 1953 and expanding rapidly since 1983.[1]

Les Crosets and Champoussin. Resorts of the municipality linked to the village by PostBus and part of the Portes du Soleil ski area. Les Crosets received a ski lift in 1959 and Champoussin a chapel in 1997.[1]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Val-d'Illiez » (Pascal Dubey, version du 05.03.2014)
  2. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  3. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Val-d'Illiez

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