Vésenaz
Origin of the name Vésenaz
The name appears in 1336 in the form « Vysinaz ». Where does the name come from? That is still unknown.[1]
Founding of Vésenaz
When Vésenaz was founded is not known. The village, on the road from Genève to Thonon, enters the records in 1336, when Count Amadeus III of Genève ceded his rights of jurisdiction over it to the Cistercian nuns of Bellerive. Until the Reformation it belonged to the parish of Vandœuvres, before being attached to Collonge. It later formed, with Collonge and Saint-Maurice, the municipality of Collonge-Bellerive. Vésenaz remained agricultural until the early 20th century.[1][2]
History of Vésenaz
1336. Count Amadeus III of Genève cedes the rights of jurisdiction over the village (« Vysinaz ») to the Cistercian nuns of Bellerive.[1]
15th century. Construction, in the second half of the century, of the fortified house of Vésenaz, later owned by the Genevan families Favre and Vaudenet.[1]
1536. Vésenaz, which until then belonged to the parish of Vandœuvres, is attached to Collonge.[1]
1598. The village becomes Catholic again.[1][2]
1792. At the French annexation, the communities of Collonge, Vésenaz and Saint-Maurice are united into one municipality.[2]
1816. The municipality is attached to the canton of Geneva.[2]
1885. Creation of the Catholic parish, with the church of the Immaculée-Conception.[1]
1890. The village is served by the Genève-Corsier tram, later Genève-Hermance.[1]
1897. Creation of a Protestant parish, with a temple.[1]
1920s and 1950s. Development of villa districts; the village, agricultural until the early 20th century, becomes fully urbanised.[1]
1958. Bus service begins.[1]
Historic sites in Vésenaz
Fortified house of Vésenaz. Fortified house built in the second half of the 15th century, once owned by the Genevan families Favre and Vaudenet.[1]
Church of the Immaculée-Conception. Church of the Catholic parish created in 1885.[1]
Temple of Vésenaz. Temple of the Protestant parish, which has existed since 1897.[1]
Remains in Vésenaz
Fortified house. Building from the second half of the 15th century, a witness to the time when the village came under the Cistercian nuns of Bellerive.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Vésenaz » (Georges Curtet), version du 28.02.2013
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Collonge-Bellerive » (Pierre Corboud, Georges Curtet)
- Office cantonal de la statistique (OCSTAT), Mémento statistique du canton de Genève 2026, tableau Population résidante par commune, en 2025
- Office fédéral de topographie swisstopo, geo.admin.ch, nom local « Vésenaz (GE) - Collonge-Bellerive »
Other villages near Vésenaz
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