FRDEITEN
Villages / Bern / Former Courtelary district / Vauffelin

Vauffelin

Canton of Bern · Former district: Courtelary · 445 inhabitants (2000, former municipality of Vauffelin, last figure before the merger)
Part of the municipality of Sauge
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Vauffelin

The name Vauffelin, in German Füglistal, appears in 1228 as « Vualfelim », with no established etymology.[1]

Founding of Vauffelin

Vauffelin is a farming village of the Bas-Vallon, with old farmhouses lined along the main road beneath its church. It belonged to the lordship of the Erguël, in the prince-bishopric of Basel, and was the centre of a parish. Its territory included Frinvillier, a village of mills and forges on the Suze. By 2014 only two farmers were left. Vauffelin is today in the municipality of Sauge (merger of 2014).[1][4]

History of Vauffelin

1228. The parish was named in the cartulary of Lausanne.[1]

Vers 1350. A church was built.[3]

1364. The church of Saint-Benoît in Biel obtained from the count of Thierstein the right to appoint the priest.[1]

1536-1798. The pastor of Orvin served the parish.[1][2]

1586. The prince-bishop attached Frinvillier to Vauffelin to end the quarrels between the communities of the area.[4]

1715-1716. The present church was built.[1][3]

1791. On 7 August a devastating storm and a fire struck the village.[3]

1797-1813. With the end of the Erguël, Vauffelin belonged to the department of Mont-Terrible, then to that of Haut-Rhin.[1]

1798-1840. The parish was attached to that of Péry, whose pastor served it.[1][6]

1815. Vauffelin passed to the canton of Bern.[1]

1839-1840. Romont (BE) was attached to Vauffelin in 1839. The following year a diaconate of Vauffelin was created for Vauffelin, Romont and Plagne.[1][3]

1860. On 17 September a Bernese decree raised the diaconate to a parish, which received a pastor.[1][3]

1864. On 21 October a fire destroyed four houses.[3]

1868. A new school was built.[3]

1903. A stagecoach linked Romont, Vauffelin and Biel.[3]

1932-1934. The church was renovated for the first time.[1]

1971. Vauffelin formed a school community with Romont and Frinvillier.[1]

Années 1970. The growth of car traffic brought in town dwellers, mostly from Biel.[1]

1983-1984. The church was renovated, and it was listed as a historic monument in 1984.[1][3]

2010. The parish joined that of Rondchâtel, with Péry-La Heutte and Orvin.[1]

2014. Vauffelin joined Plagne to form Sauge.[1]

Population of Vauffelin

Sources and references: [1][3]

Population of Vauffelin
1764336
1850255
1900258
1950237
1970467
1980348
2000445

Historic sites in Vauffelin

Reformed church. Built in 1715-1716 above the village, renovated in 1932-1934 and 1983, listed as a historic monument in 1984. The Reformed church is in the inventory of cultural property of regional importance.[1][3][5]

Old school. The old school building, topped by a bell turret, stands in the village.[4]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Vauffelin » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon, version du 14.09.2016)
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Orvin » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon, version du 07.12.2010)
  3. Chronologie jurassienne, « Vauffelin »
  4. Commune de Sauge, « Sauge - Les pionniers de la fusion de communes » (2014)
  5. Office fédéral de la protection de la population, Inventaire suisse des biens culturels d'importance nationale et régionale, liste du canton de Berne (2026)
  6. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Péry » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon, version du 20.04.2023)

Other villages near Vauffelin

Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.

Suggest a change