Villars-Sainte-Croix
Origin of the name Villars-Sainte-Croix
First written mentions: 1227 « inter sanctam Crucem », then 1543 « Villaret ». The original name « Sainte-Croix » comes from the Latin « sanctam crucem » (the holy cross); the element « Villars », from the Romance « villare » (estate, hamlet), is said to have been added to distinguish the village from other places of the same name (to be cross-checked). The municipality links « Villaret » to a Roman-era estate that may have occupied the site (hypothesis, to be cross-checked). The inhabitants are nicknamed the « Cancoires » (cockchafers in Vaud patois).
Founding of Villars-Sainte-Croix
Settlement of the area goes back to the La Tène period. In the Middle Ages the abbey of Lac de Joux, the chapter of Lausanne and the castellany of Cossonay held property here; according to the municipality, the territory was shared between the lords of Cossonay and the chapter of Lausanne Cathedral (date to be cross-checked). The village developed around a church and a hospice mentioned from 1272, which in 1458 belonged to the commandery of La Chaux of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, hence the Maltese cross in the coat of arms. No founder is named in the sources consulted. Farming and wine-growing until the 20th century, the village was profoundly transformed by the A1 motorway (1964).
History of Villars-Sainte-Croix
La Tène. First traces of settlement in the area.
1227. First written mention: « inter sanctam Crucem ».
1230. Vines are already cultivated.
1272. First mention of a hospice.
1458. The hospice belongs to the commandery of La Chaux (Order of Saint John of Jerusalem).
1536. Bernese conquest: the village belongs to the bailiwick of Lausanne until 1798 and to the parish of Crissier, reformed the same year.
1543. The village appears in the form « Villaret ».
1546. The hospital and the church fall into ruin.
1798. Attached to the district of Morges.
1962. Villars-Sainte-Croix leaves the parish of Crissier for that of Bussigny-près-Lausanne.
1964. Opening of the A1 motorway, which encourages the creation of an industrial zone and residential areas.
1975. A chapel is built.
early 1980s. Construction of a municipal complex with a school and a multipurpose hall.
2008. The new Vaud districts come into force: the municipality belongs to the Ouest lausannois district.
Population of Villars-Sainte-Croix
| 1764 | 112 |
| 1798 | 116 |
| 1850 | 160 |
| 1900 | 142 |
| 1950 | 129 |
| 2000 | 602 |
| 2025 | 943 |
Historic sites in Villars-Sainte-Croix
Chemin de l'Hôpital. This street name preserves the memory of the hospice of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, mentioned from 1272 and fallen into ruin in 1546 along with the church. The municipality describes it as a leper house (to be cross-checked).
Chapel. Chapel built in 1975, after the village joined the parish of Bussigny-près-Lausanne in 1962.
Croix-du-Péage. Industrial zone that grew out of the proximity of the A1 motorway; according to the municipality, its name recalls a toll levied here in the Middle Ages (to be cross-checked).
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Villars-Sainte-Croix »
- Commune de Villars-Sainte-Croix, « Présentation de la commune »
- Flags of the World, « Villars-Sainte-Croix (Vaud, Switzerland) »
- Wikipédia, « Villars-Sainte-Croix »
- Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
- geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux
Other villages near Villars-Sainte-Croix
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