Saint-Livres

Origin of the name Saint-Livres

First written mention in 1220 as «apud Sanctum Liberium». The name comes from Saint Liberius, pope from 352 to 366, to whom the church was dedicated. The inhabitants are nicknamed the Ronge-Grugnes (stump-gnawers or vine-stock-gnawers in Vaud patois).

Founding of Saint-Livres

Early medieval burials have been found at La Vauguine. No source consulted says who founded the village or when; its name links it to its church, dedicated to Pope Saint Liberius. The Bishop of Lausanne probably held the place from 1159; he granted it as a fief to the Faucigny family, then ceded his rights to Peter II of Savoy in 1259. The village then shared the fortunes of the lordship of Aubonne.

History of Saint-Livres

Early Middle Ages. Burials at La Vauguine.

1159. The Bishop of Lausanne probably holds the place from this date; he grants it as a fief to the Faucigny family.

1220. First mention of the place as «apud Sanctum Liberium».

1259. The Bishop of Lausanne cedes his rights over Saint-Livres to Peter II of Savoy.

1447. The church, dedicated to Saint Liberius and flooded several times, is moved to the centre of the village.

16th century. At the Reformation, the church, until then incorporated into the priory of Étoy, passes to the lords of Aubonne; Yens becomes an annex of the parish of Saint-Livres.

1701-1798. Saint-Livres is part of the bailiwick of Aubonne.

1764. The village has 508 inhabitants.

1798-2006. Saint-Livres is part of the district of Aubonne.

1846-1863. Lavigny is part of the parish of Saint-Livres.

19th century. An ice house is operated on the Pré-de-Saint-Livres pasture (municipality of Bière), until the early 20th century.

1850. The village has 615 inhabitants, the highest of the known figures before 2000.

1980. The population has fallen to 354 inhabitants.

2000. The municipality has 538 inhabitants; it is divided between wine-growing, farming and forest.

2006-2008. The law on territorial division, in force from 1 September 2006, abolishes the district of Aubonne; the municipality becomes part of the district of Morges, effective 1 January 2008.

Population of Saint-Livres

Population of Saint-Livres

1764	508
1850	615
1900	486
1950	414
1980	354
2000	538
2025	708

Historic sites in Saint-Livres

Church of Saint-Libère. Dedicated to Pope Saint Liberius, it was incorporated into the priory of Étoy, then passed at the Reformation to the lords of Aubonne. Flooded several times, it was moved to the centre of the village in 1447. It has stained-glass windows from 1935 and 1967 (to be cross-checked).

Ice house of the Pré-de-Saint-Livres. The Pré-de-Saint-Livres pasture, located in the municipality of Bière, holds an ice house operated in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Remains in Saint-Livres

Burials of La Vauguine. Early medieval graves found at the place called La Vauguine.

Ice house. Former ice house on the Pré-de-Saint-Livres pasture, a witness to an activity of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saint-Livres »
• Wikipédia, « Saint-Livres »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
• Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »

Other villages near Saint-Livres

• Aubonne (VD)
• Montherod (VD)
• Lavigny (VD)
• Yens (VD)
• Pizy (VD)