Château-d'Œx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Château-d'Œx
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 Château-d'Œx
Location in Switzerland
Château-d'Œx
Location in Canton of Vaud
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Vaud | |
| District | Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 113.66 km2 (43.88 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 958 m (3,143 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 3,487 | |
| • Density | 30.679/km2 (79.459/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1660
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| Surrounded by | Val-de-Charmey (FR), Grandvillard (FR), Gsteig bei Gstaad (BE), Haut-Intyamon (FR), Ormont-Dessous, Ormont-Dessus, Rossinière, Rougemont, Saanen (BE), Villeneuve | |
Château-d'Œx is a lovely town in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It's located in the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut area. This town is famous for its beautiful mountain views and exciting hot-air balloon festivals.
Contents
History of Château-d'Œx
Château-d'Œx was first mentioned way back in 1115. Its name has changed a few times over the years, like Oit and Oyez.
Early Settlements
People lived in caves around Château-d'Œx a very long time ago, from about 9500 BC. They used these caves as seasonal homes. We know people lived here during the Bronze Age too, thanks to knives found from that time.
Some local names and the way people speak here suggest that Celtic people once lived in the area. Later, by the 900s, people called the Alamanni settled higher up in the valley. The valley was known as Ogo, which might mean "Ox" or "ash."
Medieval Times
In the 900s, the Count of Gruyere took control of this area. Château-d'Œx then became part of a larger district with Rossinière. The local church, St. Donat, was first mentioned in 1175.
Around the early 1300s, a castle was rebuilt for the Counts of Gruyere at a place called La Motte. People in the region started farming more, growing barley, hay, and hemp, and making lots of cheese. In 1403, the villagers even made an alliance with Bern, which was a powerful city, even though their Count didn't want them to.
Growth in Early Modern Times
In 1555, Bern took over the upper part of the Gruyere region, including Château-d'Œx. This meant the town followed Bern's laws. After the Protestant Reformation in 1555, the local church also changed its religion.
Under Bern's rule, the economy grew a lot. The land was divided up and sold. Farmers leased mountain pastures to make Gruyère cheese. In the 1700s, people from Château-d'Œx would carry cheese over the mountains to sell it in Vevey. From there, the cheese was sent all the way to Asia and America!
Modern Château-d'Œx
In 1798, Château-d'Œx became part of a new area called the Canton of Léman. A big fire in 1800 destroyed many wooden houses in the town center. People rebuilt them using stone, with help from builders from nearby regions. In 1803, Château-d'Œx became part of the new canton of Vaud.
Schools and churches grew in the 1800s. The main school got a new building in 1907. Different Christian groups also set up churches in the valley.
In the 1800s, the dairy industry faced challenges like animal diseases. To protect cheese production, new rules were made. Cheese was transported by local horses to Villeneuve to avoid taxes. When these taxes were removed in 1848, it made trade much easier. New roads built in the late 1800s also helped with transportation.
In 1904, a new train line opened, making Château-d'Œx a popular summer holiday spot, especially for British tourists. Many grand hotels with tennis courts were built. The town even hosted the Swiss International Championships for tennis.
Other important buildings and structures were built, like a suspension bridge (1883), a swimming pool (1932), and a cable car (1945). Farming, especially cheese making, remained important. Later, winter sports became a big part of the town's income. Hot air ballooning and river rafting became popular summer activities.
World War I Internment
During World War I, Switzerland welcomed 68,000 sick or injured prisoners of war from both sides of the conflict. These soldiers needed medical care. Switzerland, being a neutral country, helped them.
Château-d'Œx was one of the first towns chosen to host these soldiers. The first train of injured soldiers arrived on May 30, 1916. People cheered loudly for them. Many soldiers were very emotional and grateful for the warm welcome. Over the next two years, many Swiss resort towns, which had lost tourists during the war, became busy again as they housed these internees.
Famous Residents: M.C. Escher
In 1935, the famous Dutch artist M.C. Escher and his wife lived in Château-d'Œx for two years. They moved from Italy to Switzerland. Escher is known for his amazing drawings that play with perspective and impossible structures.
Bank for International Settlements
In May 1940, during World War II, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) moved its operations to Château-d'Œx from Basel. They were worried about a possible German invasion of Switzerland. The BIS is like a bank for central banks around the world. They moved back to Basel a few months later.
Geography of Château-d'Œx
Château-d'Œx is a large municipality, covering about 113.7 square kilometers (about 44 square miles). A big part of the land, about 44.6%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 35.9% of the area.
The town is located in the upper Saane valley. It includes the main villages of Château-d'Œx, L'Étivaz, Les Moulins, and Les Granges. There are also many smaller hamlets and alpine herding camps.
Climate
Château-d'Œx has a varied climate throughout the year. Here's a look at the average weather:
| Climate data for Château-d'Œx (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.5 (36.5) |
4.1 (39.4) |
8.5 (47.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
16.4 (61.5) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.2 (72.0) |
21.9 (71.4) |
17.5 (63.5) |
13.2 (55.8) |
7.1 (44.8) |
3.2 (37.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.9 (28.6) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
2.7 (36.9) |
6.4 (43.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
15.7 (60.3) |
15.3 (59.5) |
11.5 (52.7) |
7.6 (45.7) |
2.3 (36.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
6.8 (44.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −5.7 (21.7) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
0.8 (33.4) |
5.0 (41.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.2 (50.4) |
10.0 (50.0) |
6.7 (44.1) |
3.4 (38.1) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
2.1 (35.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 95 (3.7) |
77 (3.0) |
86 (3.4) |
84 (3.3) |
129 (5.1) |
128 (5.0) |
145 (5.7) |
147 (5.8) |
102 (4.0) |
97 (3.8) |
97 (3.8) |
115 (4.5) |
1,302 (51.3) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 47 (19) |
50 (20) |
28 (11) |
15 (5.9) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
24 (9.4) |
47 (19) |
214 (84) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.6 | 9.4 | 10.5 | 10.7 | 13.3 | 13.0 | 12.3 | 12.1 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 10.6 | 11.7 | 134.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm) | 6.2 | 6.0 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 6.1 | 28.8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 81 | 78 | 75 | 73 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 75 | 79 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 78 |
| Source: MeteoSwiss | |||||||||||||
Coat of Arms
The blazon (description) of Château-d'Œx's coat of arms shows a gold tower with battlements. Next to it is a gold wall, also with battlements. On top of the wall is a silver crane bird.
People of Château-d'Œx
Château-d'Œx has a population of about 3,000 people. Around 19% of the people living here are from other countries.
Most people in Château-d'Œx speak French (about 88.5%). The next most common languages are German (3.6%) and English (2.4%).
About 23.9% of the population are children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Adults (20–64 years old) make up 54.6%, and seniors (over 64 years old) are 21.5%.
The population has changed over time, as you can see in this chart:
Notable People from Château-d'Œx
Many interesting people have lived in or come from Château-d'Œx:
- M. C. Escher (1898–1972): A Dutch graphic artist known for his unique drawings. He lived in Château-d'Œx from 1935 to 1937.
- Kitty Muggeridge (1903–1994): A British writer and translator, born in Château-d'Œx.
- David Niven (1910–1983): A famous English actor and writer. He lived in Château-d'Œx from 1960 until his death.
- Mike Horn (born 1966): A South African-born explorer and adventurer who lives in Château-d'Œx.
Sports Figures
- Bruno Leuzinger (1886–1952): A Swiss ice hockey player who competed in the Olympics.
- Madeleine Berthod (born 1931): A Swiss alpine skier who won a gold medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
- René Berthod (born 1948): A Swiss alpine skier who competed in the 1976 Winter Olympics.
- Edmond Plawczyk (born 1971): A Swiss speed snowboarder who lives in Château-d'Œx.
Important Heritage Sites
Les Ciernes-Picat, an ancient shelter from the Mesolithic period, is a very important heritage site in Switzerland. The entire village of L'Étivaz is also recognized as an important Swiss heritage site.
Things to See and Do
Château-d'Œx is famous for its annual International Hot-Air Balloon Festival, which has been held every January since 1979. Up to 100 balloonists gather for this exciting event!
The Breitling Orbiter 3, the first hot air balloon to fly non-stop around the Earth, started its journey from Château-d'Œx on March 1, 1999. It landed in Egypt 20 days later.
There's also a museum in the town center dedicated to hot air balloons.
Music Festival
The popular annual Le Bois qui Chante music festival takes place every October.
Economy of Château-d'Œx
Château-d'Œx has a low unemployment rate, around 2.3%. Many people work in farming, especially in the dairy industry. Other jobs are in construction and manufacturing.
A large number of people work in the service industry, which includes hotels, restaurants, shops, and healthcare. Tourism is very important for the town's economy.
Religion
Most people in Château-d'Œx are Christian. About 59.2% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church, and 17.9% are Roman Catholic. There are also smaller communities of other Christian churches, Muslims, and Jewish people.
Education
About one-third of the people in Château-d'Œx have completed higher education after high school. This includes university or specialized colleges.
Sports in Château-d'Œx
Skiing is a major activity here! You can reach the La Braye ski station by cable car from the village center. The cable car is also open in the summer.
The Hockey Club Château d'Œx was the Swiss champion in ice hockey in 1922 and 1924. In 1997, the Mountain Bike World Championships were held in Château-d'Œx.
On March 1, 1999, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones started their historic non-stop flight around the world in a hot air balloon from Château-d'Œx. They landed in Egypt 20 days later, after traveling over 40,000 kilometers (about 25,000 miles).
Images for kids
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Château-d'Œx general view
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Coat of arms of Château-d'Œx
See also
In Spanish: Château-d%27Œx para niños
