La Brévine
Origin of the name La Brévine
The name comes from the Brevena stream, a word meaning « watering place » in the local patois; since the 17th century it has designated the village, previously called La Chaux-des-Taillères. The hamlet of Bémont, part of the municipality, is recorded from 1266 in the form « Bemont ».
Founding of La Brévine
No single founder is known: the valley was opened up by land clearing. Inhabitants of the Val-de-Travers began it in the 13th century. In the 14th century the Chaux-de-Remosse and the Chaux-des-Taillères were settled mainly by people from Franche-Comté, followed in the 16th century by burghers of Le Locle and La Sagne, who continued to depend on the lordship of Valangin. The community built its church in 1604; the parish separated from that of Le Locle in 1622 and the municipality was recognised in 1624, with the creation of the mairie of the Chaux-des-Taillères. Before that, the territory belonged to the castellany of Val-de-Travers. The municipality comprises the village and the hamlets of Le Brouillet, Bémont, Les Taillères and La Châtagne; the village lies at 1'046 m.
History of La Brévine
1266. First mention of the hamlet of Bémont, in the form « Bemont ».
13th century. Inhabitants of the Val-de-Travers begin clearing the land.
14th century. The Chaux-de-Remosse and the Chaux-des-Taillères are settled mainly by people from Franche-Comté.
16th century. Burghers of Le Locle and La Sagne succeed the settlers from Franche-Comté and continue to depend on the lordship of Valangin.
1604. The community builds its church.
1622. The Protestant parish separates from that of Le Locle.
1624. Creation of the mairie of the Chaux-des-Taillères and recognition of the municipality; until then La Brévine belonged to the castellany of Val-de-Travers.
mid-17th century. Discovery of a chalybeate spring rich in iron carbonate (to be cross-checked).
1820. The jurisdiction of La Brévine takes in Le Cerneux-Péquignot.
1821. The jurisdiction of La Brévine takes in La Chaux-du-Milieu.
1831. A fire destroys thirty-one houses.
mid-19th century. Lace-making and spinning mills disappear; baths are built thanks to a subsidy from King Frederick William IV of Prussia (to be cross-checked).
end of the 19th century. Watchmaking, prosperous until then, begins to decline.
1975. Only the Gentil factory, specialising in precision tools, remains.
1987. On 12 January La Brévine records the absolute cold record of -41.8 °C.
1990. Farming and livestock still employ 41% of the working population.
Population of La Brévine
| 1704 | 168 hearths (households) |
| 1750 | 1'220 |
| 1850 | 1'339 |
| 1880 | 1'703 |
| 1900 | 1'494 |
| 1950 | 1'008 |
| 1990 | 626 |
| 2000 | 647 |
| 2025 | 614 (31 December) |
Historic sites in La Brévine
Church of La Brévine. Church built in 1604 by the community, around which the name La Brévine came to designate the village; the Protestant parish separated from that of Le Locle in 1622.
Lac des Taillères. Shallow lake about three kilometres from the village, which regularly freezes in winter and becomes a skating rink (to be cross-checked).
Double house of La Grosse Maison. Double farmhouse at the place called La Grosse Maison, listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National Significance.
Hamlet of Bémont. Hamlet of the municipality recorded from 1266 in the form « Bemont », alongside Le Brouillet, Les Taillères and La Châtagne.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Brévine, La »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Locle, Le »
- État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 4 février 2026 homologuant le recensement cantonal de la population au 31 décembre 2025
- swissinfo.ch, « La nuit la plus glaciale de l'hiver », 1er février 2010
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population, Inventaire PBC, « Maison double » (PBC 3946)
- Wikipédia, « La Brévine » (à recouper)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near La Brévine
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