Villette

Canton of Vaud · District: Lavaux-Oron · around 564 inhabitants in 2000, the last known figure before the 2011 merger

Part of the municipality of Bourg-en-Lavaux

Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Villette

The name Villette is attested for the first time between 1160 and 1179 in the Latin form «Vileto». This form probably derives from the Latin «villa» (rural estate) followed by a diminutive suffix, originally designating a small estate or a small farm; this etymology, although plausible and common for this type of place name, was found explicitly stated only in a single source consulted and would deserve to be cross-checked. The name subsequently extended to a whole large medieval parish, well beyond the present-day village alone.

Founding of Villette

Villette has no single founder nor a precise founding date. The village formed, together with Cully, Épesses, the Monts de Villette (today Forel), Grandvaux and Riex, one of the four large parishes of Lavaux belonging to the temporal domain of the bishop of Lausanne. This «large parish of Villette» (also called the Grande Communauté or general municipality of Villette) gave its name to the whole territory, of which Villette formed the core, long before Cully became, in the 16th century, the administrative seat of the castellany of the same name. The parish church of Saint-Saturnin, mentioned as early as 1134 and becoming a parish church in 1228, was dependent on the priory of Lutry and served all the villages of the large parish. From the 14th century, a communal structure was put in place: the different localities (Aran, Chenaux, Cully, Curson, Épesses, Grandvaux, Riex and Villette) were governed by confréries, corporations first religious then civil, which dealt in particular with schooling, assistance to the poor and the upkeep of paths. The village's development is closely tied to the vine: documentary traces date the presence of vines at the localities of Aran and Daley back to the 10th century already, on land belonging to the abbey of Saint-Maurice d'Agaune, and the first document formally attesting to vines in the territory dates from 1291. Clearing and planting intensified from the 12th century onwards, driven by the bishops of Lausanne and by monastic communities, including Hauterive abbey, which held an important vine estate at the locality of Graboz, on Chatagny.

History of Villette

10th century. Documents already mention vines at the localities of Aran and Daley, belonging to the abbey of Saint-Maurice d'Agaune.

1134-1138. First mention of the Saint-Saturnin church, dependent on the priory of Lutry.

1160-1179. First written mention of the place name, in the Latin form «Vileto».

1228. The Saint-Saturnin church becomes a parish church, serving the whole of the large parish of Villette.

12th-13th century. The bishops of Lausanne and monastic communities encourage the clearing and planting of vines on the territory of the large parish.

1291. First document formally attesting to the presence of vines on the territory of Villette.

14th century. A communal structure is put in place: the localities of the large parish (Aran, Chenaux, Cully, Curson, Épesses, Grandvaux, Riex and Villette) are governed by confréries dealing with schooling, assistance and paths.

14th-15th century. Construction of the stone spire of the bell tower of the Saint-Saturnin temple; the nave, probably from the 13th century, is raised in the 15th century.

1536. Bernese conquest of the Pays de Vaud: the large parish of Villette comes under Bernese administration, within the Landvogtei (bailiwick) of Lausanne.

1592. Probable construction of the bailiff's house in Villette, which retains late Gothic openings with a triple pyramidal gable and mullioned windows.

1598. The castellany of Villette is formed; its administrative seat is established in Cully.

1798. Fall of the Bernese Ancien Régime with the Helvetic Revolution.

1824. Decree of the Vaud Grand Council of 15 May 1824 dividing the former large parish of Villette into six distinct municipalities: Villette (confréries of Villette and Aran), Grandvaux (confréries of Grandvaux and Curson), Cully (confréries of Cully and Chenaux), Épesses, Riex and the Monts de Villette under the name Forel.

1826. The new communal authorities of Villette are sworn in on 9 December 1826, marking the effective start of the independent municipality.

1861. Opening of the Simplon railway line, with a station serving Villette.

1924-1932. Restoration of the Saint-Saturnin temple: modification of the window openings, lowering of the roof and the creation of a mural Last Supper by the painter Charles Clément.

1972. On 4 February 1972, alerted by the inhabitants of Aran-Villette who were worried about a property development project threatening the wine-growing landscape, Franz Weber founds, with his wife and the Lausanne lawyer Me Heider, the association «Sauver Lavaux», decisive for the later preservation of the terraced vineyard.

2006. On 31 August 2006, the district of Lavaux is dissolved; Villette joins the new district of Lavaux-Oron.

2007. The Lavaux terraced vineyard, including the territory of Villette, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

2009. On 17 May 2009, a project to merge the five Lavaux municipalities (Cully, Épesses, Grandvaux, Riex, Villette) is approved in a popular vote; this date would deserve to be cross-checked against an official FAOVD document.

2011. On 1 July 2011, Villette merges with Cully, Épesses, Grandvaux and Riex to form the new municipality of Bourg-en-Lavaux, of which it becomes a hamlet.

Population of Villette

193 inhabitants

1764

288 inhabitants

1850

340 inhabitants

1900

387 inhabitants

1950

564 inhabitants

2000

Historic sites in Villette

The Saint-Saturnin temple. A church mentioned as early as 1134 and becoming a parish church in 1228, dependent on the priory of Lutry. The nave probably dates from the 13th century and was raised in the 15th century; the bell tower bears a remarkable stone spire from the 14th-15th century. The interior features a barrel vault and an apse decorated with 15th-century paintings, including a «Christ in Majesty» surrounded by the Tetramorph. A restoration carried out between 1924 and 1932 altered the window openings, lowered the roof and added a mural Last Supper by the painter Charles Clément.

The bailiff's house. Probably dating from 1592, this house retains late Gothic openings, with a triple pyramidal gable and mullioned windows, witnesses to the civil architecture of the Bernese Ancien Régime in Villette.

The hamlet of Aran. Administratively attached to Villette from 1824, the hamlet of Aran is entirely listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National Importance. Its inhabitants historically bore the nickname «Aragnes» or «Derbons» (moles, in the local patois).

The Lavaux terraced vineyard (UNESCO). The territory of Villette constitutes the largest controlled designation of origin in Lavaux, with 185 hectares of vines in 2010. It is part of the «Lavaux, terraced vineyard» site, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2007.

Villette railway station (Simplon). Opened in 1861 with the Simplon railway line, it has since served the hamlet and its vineyard on the shore of lac Léman.

Remains in Villette

Traces of Roman occupation. According to some sources, remains from the Roman period are said to have been uncovered in Villette, notably beneath the site of the present-day church. This information could not be precisely cross-checked in the sources consulted (exact nature of the remains, date of discovery) and would deserve to be more solidly documented before any definitive statement.

Sources

Other villages near Villette

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