Meudon
Origin of the name Meudon
Name origin: not explained by the sources consulted. Meudon is one of the quarters of the street village of Les Verrières, together with Le Crêt, Belle-Perche, Grand-Bourgeau and Croix-Blanche. Its church is recorded as Saint-Nicolas de « Mijoux », an old form of the name of Les Verrières (1311 « Myezour », 1337 « Mey Joulz », then « Mijoux »).
Founding of Meudon
Meudon forms the end of the street village of Les Verrières, which stretches for 3 km near the French border, in the municipality of Les Verrières. No founder is known. The quarter grew up around the parish church, first documented in 1324; a parish was probably established there as early as around 1300. A hamlet with a church, the size of a small village and laid out in a semicircle, Meudon was one of the bourgeaux (quarters with their own organisation) of Les Verrières until they were united into a single municipality at the end of the 19th century.
History of Meudon
around 1300. A parish probably already exists at Les Verrières; its church stands at Meudon.
1324. First documented mention of the church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas (Saint-Nicolas de « Mijoux »).
1517. Construction of the present temple by Johes Boine; the keystone of the choir bears the date 1517.
1534. Reformation at Les Verrières; until then the church belonged to the diocese of Besançon and also served the neighbouring French village of Les Verrières-de-Joux.
1723-1761. Construction of the parsonage next to the church (dates 1723 and 1761 recorded by ISOS).
1788. The church bells are cast thanks to a gift from Jean-Louis Jeannet.
1847. On 2 July a fire destroys 8 buildings at Meudon.
1866. On 23 May a fire destroys 12 buildings at Meudon.
1878. On 19 September the three municipalities of Meudon, Belle-Perche and Grand-Bourgeau merge into a municipality called Les Verrières (ISOS gives 1888: to be cross-checked).
after 1900. The walled cemetery that surrounded the church is moved.
2008. Survey of the federal ISOS inventory: Meudon appears in it as a perimeter of the Les Verrières site.
Historic sites in Meudon
Temple of Les Verrières (Saint-Nicolas church). Late Gothic church with a spacious nave and polygonal choir, whose keystone bears the date 1517; ISOS stresses the contrast between its square bell tower, topped by a slender spire, and the massive volume of the nave. It stands in an enclosure isolated on three sides, on the eastern side of the hamlet.
Parsonage. Parsonage built in the 18th century (1723 and 1761), near the church.
Farmhouses and fountain. Neuchâtel farmhouses with front gables (16th to 20th centuries), old trees marking the middle of the hamlet and a 19th century public fountain with a rock basin.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Verrières, Les » (Eric-André Klauser)
- Inventaire fédéral des sites construits d'importance nationale (ISOS), « Les Verrières » (relevé 2008)
- Commune des Verrières, « Géographie » et chronologie
- État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 4 février 2026 homologuant le recensement cantonal de la population au 31 décembre 2025
- geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de lieux (swisstopo)
Other villages near Meudon
Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.
Suggest a change