Panex

Origin of the name Panex

Name origin: not explained by the sources consulted, which also give no dated first mention of the hamlet.

Founding of Panex

Panex is a hamlet in the municipality of Ollon, at 935 m on the slopes overlooking the town. The sources consulted say neither when nor by whom it was founded. The area was frequented as early as prehistory. Until 1874 Panex formed one of the twelve dizains (districts) of the municipality of Ollon, and one of the six mountain dizains, with Villars, Chesières, Arveyes, Huémoz and Forchez. Its history is above all linked to its salt spring, worked from the mid-16th to the early 19th century.

History of Panex

Late Bronze Age. A grave found at Panex appears to date from this period.

Prehistory. A trace of occupation is recorded in the Creux d'Enfer, near Panex (period to be cross-checked).

1554. Discovery of the Panex salt spring, described as the first salt spring in Switzerland (to be cross-checked); it is worked from 1554 to 1832.

1798. From 23 August the salt water of Panex is carried to the Dévens saltworks near Bex by a brine pipeline of 2'233 trunks, about 7.5 km long (corrected commissioning date, 1801 having been accepted until then).

1832. End of the working of the Panex salt spring.

1874. End of the division of the municipality of Ollon into dizains, which included Panex.

2008. Creation of the Sentier du Sel by the Cum Grano Salis association, along the route of the former brine pipeline.

Historic sites in Panex

Sentier du Sel. Walking trail created in 2008 by the Cum Grano Salis association; it follows the route of the brine pipeline that from 1798 carried the salt water of Panex to the Dévens saltworks.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Ollon »
• Wikipédia, « Ollon »
• Le Point Chablais, « Le saumoduc du Sentier du Sel fête ses 222 ans » (12 août 2021)
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Panex

• Huémoz (VD)
• Ollon (VD)
• Chesières (VD)
• Aigle (VD)
• Saint-Triphon (VD)