La Jonchère

Origin of the name La Jonchère

Name origin: the hamlet is mentioned in 1413 in the form « Jouchière »; « Jonchière » is also found. The name is said to come from the Latin « juncaria », a marsh covered with reeds; the reeds have gone but the marsh has remained (to be cross-checked).

Founding of La Jonchère

La Jonchère is a hamlet of the municipality of Val-de-Ruz, west of Boudevilliers. Before the merger of 1 January 2013, it belonged to the former municipality of Boudevilliers, together with the hamlets of Malvilliers and Landeyeux. No founder is known: at the beginning of the 15th century, La Jonchère appears among the inhabited places of the territory of Boudevilliers, some of which, such as Sappierre and Plaincherel, have since disappeared. Its inhabitants belonged mainly to the Guyot family. The hamlet had its own administration and its own school from the beginning of the 18th century.

History of La Jonchère

1413. A deed mentions the « villes de Budevilliers, Jouchière, Sappierre, Malavilliers et Plencherel ».

1425. The inhabitants of the hamlet include Othening La Bille, Perrot-la-Dague and Amiot.

1455. A deed mentions the Guyot, the family living at La Jonchère.

1523. Two people named « De la Jonchère » are recorded.

1549. Agreement between the inhabitants of Boudevilliers and those of La Jonchère, all Guyots, on farming rights and livestock.

1701. La Jonchère is said to have obtained the right to appoint its own governor (to be cross-checked).

1711. A school opens in the house of Mr Chambrier.

1725. On 17 November, commune members ask for the common property to be divided between Boudevilliers and La Jonchère.

1823. The children of Malvilliers are admitted to the school of La Jonchère.

2013. Boudevilliers merges with thirteen other municipalities to form the municipality of Val-de-Ruz.

Historic sites in La Jonchère

The hamlet of La Jonchère. The municipality of Val-de-Ruz lists the hamlets of La Jonchère and Malvilliers among the sights of the former municipality of Boudevilliers.

Sources

• Ch.-Daniel Junod, « Monographie de la commune de Boudevilliers »
• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Boudevilliers » (Maurice Evard)
• Commune de Val-de-Ruz, « À voir ou visiter »
• geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de lieux (swisstopo)
• État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 4 février 2026 homologuant le recensement cantonal de la population au 31 décembre 2025

Other villages near La Jonchère

• Les Hauts-Geneveys (NE)
• Malvilliers (NE)
• Fontaines (NE)
• Boudevilliers (NE)
• Fontainemelon (NE)