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Valbirse

Merger 2015 Canton of Bern · Former district: Moutier · 4'043 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Valbirse

Valbirse is a name created for the 2015 merger, borne by none of the three municipalities that joined. The arms are « parti d'argent à cinq fasces ondées d'azur, et d'azur à trois étoiles à cinq rais d'or en pal », with a green mount of three hills in base.[1]

Founding of Valbirse

Valbirse was born on 1 January 2015 from the union of the municipalities of Bévilard and Malleray and the mixed municipality of Pontenet, in the Tavannes valley. The three-way merger followed a five-way project that Court rejected and that Sorvilier then left. It was finally decided by popular vote on 18 May 2014. The new mixed municipality covers 1'868 hectares.[1][2]

History of Valbirse

2013. On 22 September a five-municipality merger project fails, rejected by Court alone. Sorvilier then withdraws from the project.[2]

2014. On 18 May a further vote finally decides the merger of Bévilard, Malleray and Pontenet into a municipality named Valbirse.[2]

2015. On 1 January Valbirse replaces the three municipalities. It has 3'946 inhabitants that year.[1][3]

2025. For the tenth anniversary of the merger, the municipality starts a project to give its inhabitants a name.[5]

2026. A jury that includes the last mayors of the three former municipalities picks three names out of 55 proposals: Valbirsiens, Valbirsois and Boubétch, the last taken from the nicknames of Pontenet. A consultative vote is set for 27 September.[4][5]

Population of Valbirse

Sources and references: [6]

Population of Valbirse
20254'043

Historic sites in Valbirse

Municipal administration. Valbirse's administration is at Rue Aimé Charpilloz 2, in Bévilard.[1]

Sources

  1. Commune de Valbirse, site officiel (présentation de la commune et armoiries)
  2. Direction de l'intérieur et de la justice du canton de Berne, liste des projets de fusion de communes (état juin 2026)
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Valbirse », version du 15.01.2026
  4. La Télé (ATS), « Valbirse : la population choisira le nom des habitants », 14.07.2026
  5. Plattform J, « Valbirse sucht Identität », 15.07.2026
  6. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Valbirse

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