Collombey-Muraz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Collombey-Muraz
Aerial view of central Collombey
Coat of arms
Collombey-Muraz Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Collombey-Muraz Location in Canton of Valais Show map of Canton of Valais
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Monthey
Area
• Total	29.75 km2 (11.49 sq mi)
Elevation	392 m (1,286 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	9,598
• Density	322.62/km2 (835.59/sq mi)
Postal code	1868
Surrounded by	Aigle (VD), Châtel (FR-74), Monthey, Ollon (VD), Troistorrents, Vionnaz, Vouvry

Collombey-Muraz is a town in Switzerland. It is located in the Valais canton, within the Monthey district. It is a municipality, which is like a local government area.

Geography of Collombey-Muraz

Collombey-Muraz is found in the flat area of the Rhône river valley. This area is called the Chablais valaisan. The town is on the left side of the river.

Collombey-Muraz includes five main villages: Collombey, Muraz, Collombey-le-Grand, Illarsaz, and Les Neyres. It is one of the largest towns in Valais because it has a lot of flat land. Its total area is about 29.81 square kilometers.

Most of the land is covered by forests (40%) and farms (36.5%). About 14.1% of the land is used for homes and buildings. The rest is unproductive land.

The town also has seven alpine pastures, which are high mountain meadows. These are used by farmers to graze animals in the summer. The highest point in the town is La Pointe de Bellevue, which is 2,042 meters high. From here, you can see a great view, from Lake Geneva to the Dents du Midi mountains.

The Villages of Collombey-Muraz

Collombey Village

Collombey is the biggest village in the municipality. In 2016, almost 4,600 people lived here. It has grown a lot since the 1990s, with new shopping centers and many homes being built.

Muraz Village

Muraz is built on a hillside. In the past, two streams often caused floods and damaged crops here. The village stretches along the main road, between a mountain and the flat plain. Muraz has also grown a lot and now has about 2,700 residents.

Collombey-le-Grand Village

The name "Grand" (meaning "big") for Collombey-le-Grand might have been true before the 12th century. Today, it's still "grand" if you include the large industrial area next to it. About 500 people live here. The village first grew around the Chapel of Our Lady of the Seven Joys. Now, it has spread out into the plain.

Illarsaz Village

Illarsaz is a typical valley village. It is on the road that connects Vionnaz to Aigle. It used to be surrounded by marshes, but now these areas are used for farming. Most of the homes in Illarsaz are individual houses. About 700 people live here.

Les Neyres Village

Les Neyres is the fifth and smallest village in the municipality. It is on a hillside, between Monthey and Troistorrents. You can find Les Neyres by taking the Val d’Illiez road. It has about 400 residents, and the homes are spread out. The village has grown quickly, and a new infant school had to be opened.

Transport in Collombey-Muraz

The village of Collombey has two train lines. One is the CFF Tonkin line, and the other is the AOMC regional train. There is also a city bus that goes to Monthey every hour. All five villages in Collombey-Muraz are connected to nearby towns by a bus service. This service is run by the Public Transport of Chablais (TPC).

What Do the Names Mean?

Collombey

The name Collombey comes from a Latin word, cŏlumbārium. This word can mean a dovecote (a place where doves live), a tomb, or a burial vault. We don't know for sure which meaning applies here. However, the town's coat of arms includes doves. In the local Valaisan language, Collombey is pronounced Collambâ.

Muraz

The name Muraz comes from the Latin word murum, which means "wall." So, Muraz refers to a place with old walls or buildings. The "z" at the end is silent.

History of Collombey-Muraz

Collombey-Muraz became its own municipality in 1787. Before that, it was part of the Monthey area.

Very old rocks called erratic blocks can be found here. Some are huge, like the Pierre à Muguet, which is 1,000 cubic meters! An archaeological site called Châble-Croix is one of the oldest in Valais, dating back to 6880 to 6330 BC. Stone Age burial sites were also found on the Barmaz heights, from around 3000 to 1800 BC.

Historic aerial photograph of Collombey and Muraz from 1949

Until the 1960s, the history of Collombey-Muraz was mostly about farming.

Important Dates in Collombey-Muraz History

• 1216: Construction began on the Arbignon castle. This castle later became the Monastery of the Bernardines.
• 1283: Muraz was first mentioned as a separate church area from Collombey.
• 1630: The Châtillon castle was built. It later became the Manor of Fay de Lavallaz.
• 1647: The Monastery of the Bernardines was officially founded.
• 1723: Collombey became a separate church area from Monthey again.
• 1787: Collombey and Muraz officially became separate municipalities.
• 1798: A population count showed Collombey had 209 people, Muraz had 202, and the other villages had fewer.
• 1859: The first train crossed the town on the Tonkin line.
• 1898: A new church in Muraz and the town hall in Collombey were opened.
• 1907: The Aigle-Ollon-Monthey train line opened.
• 1960: Switzerland's first oil refinery opened in Collombey-Muraz.
• 1988: Collombey-Muraz celebrated its 200th anniversary as a municipality.
• 2015: The Tamoil oil refinery closed down.
• 2022: People in Collombey-Muraz voted against merging with Monthey.

Local Names and Nicknames

People from Collombey are called Collombeyrouds or Collomberous. Their nickname is lou Bérou, which means "rams" in the local Valaisan language.

People from Muraz are called Muriands. Their nickname is "Fascines." This refers to how they used to make bundles of twigs for firewood.

Population Information

Population Changes

In early 2023, Collombey-Muraz had 9,739 people. This means there were about 327 people per square kilometer. Between 2010 and 2019, the population grew by 30.1%. This was a faster growth rate than the whole canton of Valais or Switzerland.

Age Groups

In 2020, about 37.4% of the people in Collombey-Muraz were under 30 years old. This is higher than the average for the Valais canton. About 18.5% of the people were over 60 years old, which is lower than the canton's average.

In the same year, there were slightly more women (4,831) than men (4,767) in the town.

Education in Collombey-Muraz

Collombey-Muraz offers education for children from kindergarten through primary school. It also has a secondary school, called a "cycle d'orientation," at the Perraires site. Because the population has grown, a new school opened in Muraz village in 2014.

Sports in Collombey-Muraz

Collombey-Muraz has many sports clubs for young people and adults.

Football

The Union Sportive Collombey-Muraz (USCM) football club started in 1970. It was formed when two local clubs, FC Collombey and FC Muraz, joined together. The club has about 220 members and fourteen teams. Many of these are junior teams for younger players. They also run a football school for 20 to 25 children each season.

Basketball

The BBC Collombey-Muraz basketball club was created in 1982. It has about 100 members. Their main team has been in the Swiss 1st league championship since 1992. The club also has many youth teams (for ages 8 to 19) that play in championships across Switzerland.

Judo

The Collombey-Muraz judo school (EJCM) started in 1977. In 25 years, its members have won over 200 titles at the local and Swiss levels. The school has about a hundred members, including many who have earned black belts.

Table Tennis

The Collombey-Muraz table tennis club (CTTCM) was founded in 1974. It is part of a larger association that includes clubs from different cantons. The club started with fewer than twelve members. Now, their top team plays in the national league, and other teams play in various regional leagues. They also have a table tennis school for children aged 8 and up.

Running

The "Trail de Bellevue" is a popular running event. It started in 2013. It offers two races for adults (10 km and 32 km) and a special race for children.

Archery Club

The Arc-Club Collombey-Muraz was founded in 1973. It brings together archers from the Chablais region. Members compete in target and forest shooting, and some have even done well at the European level. The club welcomes different types of bows, including Olympic bows and traditional bows.

Wrestling Club (Swiss and Greco-Roman)

The Illarsaz-Haut-Lac wrestling club celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2012. It started in 1942 with a small group of friends. Now, the club trains over 30 young people from the age of five. They have won many medals in Swiss wrestling and freestyle wrestling championships. In 1986, Alain Bifrare won a federal crown, which is a big achievement in Swiss wrestling. The club often hosts competitions in the municipality.

Ski Club

The SC Bellevue of Collombey-Muraz ski club was founded in 1968. Every winter, the club organizes ski trips, including track skiing and hiking. Since 1979, members have met at the Chalet de Conches, an old mountain chalet. Their main event is a popular competition open to all members and residents. It includes a giant slalom race and a sealskin race (a type of ski mountaineering).

Tennis Club

The Tennis-Club Collombey-Muraz, founded in 1984, is one of the largest sports clubs in the town. It has five interclub teams that compete in different leagues. The club has over a hundred members who are licensed by Swisstennis. Every August, the club hosts a large open tournament.

Economy of Collombey-Muraz

Farming and Environment

During the Second World War, big public projects helped improve farming and modernize equipment in the Rhône river plain. A monument on the Collombey-le-Grand - Illarsaz road remembers these efforts.

Protecting the environment and planning the town carefully are very important here. The first development plan for the town was made in 1964. New projects are always being done to protect the environment. For example, a system to collect and treat wastewater has been working since 1978.

Industry

In 1960, Switzerland's first oil refinery opened in Collombey-Muraz. This refinery received oil through a pipeline from Genoa, Italy. Its opening led to a big growth in industry. The town has worked hard to attract businesses, creating industrial zones mainly in Collombey and Collombey-le-Grand. Many companies have chosen Collombey-Muraz for their main offices.

Tamoil's oil refinery in Collombey, before it closed.

In 2015, the refinery stopped its operations. This meant about 250 people lost their jobs.

Culture and Heritage

Important Buildings

Collombey

• The Parish Church of Saint-Didier: This church was built in 1873. It replaced an older church from 1616. The current church has a tall bell tower with four small towers on top. Inside, you can see old baptismal fonts from around 1700 and colorful mosaics and stained glass windows.
• The Manor of Châtillon-Larringes: This large house was rebuilt in 1653 after a fire. It stands where an old tower of the Collombey nobles used to be. The house has a grand entrance with a large archway.

Collombey-le-Grand

• The Chapel of the Seven Joys of the Virgin: This chapel was finished in 1855. It has a beautiful altar with a painting of the Virgin Mary from 1858.

Muraz

• The Parish Church of Saint-André: This church replaced a very old building from the 13th century. It was rebuilt in 1898. The original bell tower from 1657 is still part of the church. Inside, there is a main altar with statues of saints.
• The Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows: This is a rectangular building from the 18th century.

Illarsaz

• The Chapel of Saint-Bernard-de-Montjoux: This modern concrete chapel was built in 1965. It replaced an older chapel from the 18th century. Inside, it has an old altar from the early 18th century and colorful mosaics and stained glass windows.

Wells

Because there was a lot of underground water, the villages of Collombey, Collombey-le-Grand, and Illarsaz dug many wells. These wells provided water for people and animals. It is said that when a family built a house, the first thing they did was dig a well! There were 62 wells, and many still exist today, often used for decoration. The town has even named a street and a square after them: Rue des Puits (Well Street) and Place des Puits (Well Square).

The Village Bakery

In 2000, when an old house in Collombey-Le-Grand was taken down, a village bread oven was found. This discovery led to the idea of rebuilding a shared oven for the community. A group was formed, and the new oven was opened in 2002.

Now, four special events happen each year around the bakery:

• Around Palm Sunday.
• A bread festival on the Saturday of the Federal Fast.
• A special feast day in November.
• An Advent window event.

Music, Theater, and Community Activities

Collombey-Muraz is close to Monthey, which has a lively cultural scene. But Collombey-Muraz also has its own music groups, like Les Colombes and the Villageoise de Muraz, and a choir called Choeur Mixte.

An amateur theater group, Théâtre du Rovra, has been putting on a show for the local people every year since 1946.

The town has many facilities for community activities. These include a school and sports center with multi-purpose rooms, a swimming pool, a children’s daycare, primary schools, a library, football fields, tennis courts, walking and hiking paths, playgrounds, and a covered area for events. There are 23 local clubs for sports and culture, allowing about 2,400 people to enjoy their favorite hobbies.

Notable People

• The Châtillon du Chablais family: Important lords of the area from the 13th to the 17th centuries.
• Gilbert Constantin: A famous painter and sculptor (1947–2010).
• Alexis Gex-Fabry: A mountain runner and a member of the town council.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Collombey-Muraz shows symbols for both villages. It has doves, which represent Collombey, and a wall, which represents Muraz. There have been different designs over time, but they always include doves and a wall.

See also

In Spanish: Collombey-Muraz para niños