Peseux
Origin of the name Peseux
Early forms: « apud Pusoz » in 1195 (from a 15th-century copy), then « de Posoys » in 1278; the name settled into its present form around 1466 (to be cross-checked). The name is linked to the word « puits », well (Latin puteus): water supply was long a problem for the village, solved only in 1888 by the connection to the Neuchâtel water network. The inhabitants are nicknamed « Subiéreux », linked to the patois word « subya », to whistle (to be cross-checked).
Founding of Peseux
No founding charter is known: Peseux grew as a village of farmers and winegrowers. Hallstatt-period burial mounds found in the forest are the first evidence of human presence. The village appears in isolated mentions from 1195, in a deed confirming donations to the collegiate church of Neuchâtel. A local tradition holds that the first inhabitants came from the hamlet of Bussy, near Valangin, to escape heavy taxes; this is only a tradition. In 1357 the villagers received important rights in the nearby forest from Count Louis of Neuchâtel. Peseux belonged to the mairie of La Côte from the Middle Ages to 1848 and gained importance in the 16th century.
History of Peseux
Hallstatt period. Burial mounds are raised in the Peseux forest; they are the oldest prehistoric evidence on the territory.
1195. First mention, « apud Pusoz », in a deed confirming donations to the collegiate church of Neuchâtel (known from a 15th-century copy). It is said to be a bull of Pope Celestine III dated 20 October (to be cross-checked).
1278. The village appears as « de Posoys ».
1357. Count Louis of Neuchâtel grants the villagers important rights in the nearby forest. The village is said to have had about 37 families, some 200 inhabitants (to be cross-checked).
14th century. According to municipal tradition, franchises granted by the kings of France encourage orchards and vineyards (to be cross-checked).
around 1466. The name settles into its present form, Peseux (to be cross-checked).
around 1538-1539. Councillor of State Jean Merveilleux builds a large residence known as the castle. Other sources place the start of work in 1513 (to be cross-checked).
1550. A first Reformed place of worship is built; the village then belongs to the parish of Serrières.
1560. Jean Merveilleux contributes to the endowment of the village school.
1574-1578. The castle is enlarged; his descendants add two towers.
1627-1635. The present Reformed church is built.
1772. A well in yellow dressed stone is built; it now stands in the castle park (to be cross-checked).
early 19th century. The village community, largely made up of burghers of Neuchâtel, remains loyal to the Ancien Régime.
1848. End of the mairie of La Côte; Peseux belongs to the district of Boudry until 2017.
1856. Peseux sees clashes between royalists and troops loyal to the republicans.
1871-1872. The church is almost entirely rebuilt.
1873. Léo Châtelain builds a Moravian Brethren chapel; the evangelical teacher-training college of Grandchamp moves to Peseux (closed in 1907).
1882. Peseux becomes a parish of its own.
1888. Connection to the Neuchâtel water network, ending the long-standing water supply problem.
1890. A school building is inaugurated; it later housed the municipal administration (to be cross-checked).
1894. The bequest of court clerk Jean-Adolphe Fornachon funds public works.
1900. A gasworks is built, jointly with Corcelles-Cormondrèche (the latter point to be cross-checked).
1900-1908. The population grows from about 1'200 to nearly 2'000 (to be cross-checked).
1901. A tram line to Neuchâtel opens; it is replaced by a trolleybus in 1976.
1928-1993. Borel furnaces are manufactured in Peseux.
1933 et 1939. The church receives stained-glass windows by Charles L'Eplattenier.
1954. Consecration of the Catholic church of Notre-Dame-de-Compassion.
1966. The La Côte school centre (Collège des Coteaux) opens; it is enlarged in 1996 and 2004.
1974. The canton's first shopping centre opens.
1995. Peseux celebrates 800 years since its first written mention.
2003. The castle is restored.
2007. Voters reject a first plan to merge with Corcelles-Cormondrèche.
2021. On 1 January Peseux merges with Neuchâtel, Corcelles-Cormondrèche and Valangin into the new municipality of Neuchâtel, after Peseux citizens approved the plan in 2018.
Population of Peseux
| 1357 | 200 approx. (37 families, to be cross-checked) |
| 1750 | 429 |
| 1850 | 611 |
| 1900 | 1'344 |
| 1950 | 3'338 |
| 1960 | 4'933 (to be cross-checked) |
| 1990 | 5'139 (to be cross-checked) |
| 2000 | 5'387 |
| 2010 | 5'719 |
| 2020 | 5'799 (cantonal census, 31.12.2020) |
Historic sites in Peseux
Peseux Castle. Large residence built around 1538-1539 by Councillor of State Jean Merveilleux, enlarged between 1574 and 1578 and restored in 2003. It has three polygonal towers and a Renaissance doorway; it is often described as the oldest castle in the Neuchâtel countryside (to be cross-checked). Today it houses offices and a wine cellar.
Reformed church. Built between 1627 and 1635 on the site of a first place of worship of 1550, almost entirely rebuilt in 1871-1872 and altered in 1899 and 1959. It has stained-glass windows by Charles L'Eplattenier (1933 and 1939). Its tower is said to date from 1737 (to be cross-checked).
Catholic church of Notre-Dame-de-Compassion. Consecrated in 1954, it is attributed to the architects Maurice and Beate Billeter and combines concrete, yellow limestone and brick; stained glass in 1970 and organ in 1972 (to be cross-checked).
Moravian chapel. Moravian Brethren chapel built in 1873 by the architect Léo Châtelain.
Old school building. Opened in 1890, it later housed the municipal administration (to be cross-checked).
The old village. The centre preserves 17th- and 18th-century town houses, some in late Renaissance style (to be cross-checked).
Remains in Peseux
Hallstatt burial mounds. A few Hallstatt-period (early Iron Age) burial mounds have been found in the forest, which covers two thirds (264 ha) of the territory. They are the earliest prehistoric evidence in Peseux.
Well of 1772. Well in yellow dressed stone dated 1772, moved to the castle park in 1953 for traffic reasons (to be cross-checked).
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Peseux » (version du 28.10.2021)
- État de Neuchâtel, « Annexe : les chiffres-clés du recensement cantonal de la population 2020 »
- Ville de Neuchâtel, page officielle « Peseux »
- Ville de Neuchâtel, page officielle « Fusion Neuchâtel »
- Wikipédia (FR), « Peseux (Neuchâtel) »
- Wikipedia (EN), « Peseux, Switzerland »
- Wikipedia (DE), « Peseux NE »
- Wikipedia (Alémanique), « Peseux NE »
- Montmollin.ch, archives de la famille Merveilleux
- Photos-Neuch.net, « Le château de Peseux »
- Swiss Spectator, « Le château de Peseux »
- ArcInfo, « Les citoyens de Peseux ont accepté le projet de fusion avec Neuchâtel, Corcelles et Valangin »
Other villages near Peseux
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