Léchelles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Léchelles
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 Léchelles
Location in Switzerland
Léchelles
Location in Canton of Fribourg
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Fribourg | |
| District | Broye | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 8.75 km2 (3.38 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 545 m (1,788 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2014)
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| • Total | 751 | |
| • Density | 85.83/km2 (222.29/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1773
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| Surrounded by | Domdidier, Grolley, Misery-Courtion, Montagny, Oleyres (VD), Ponthaux, Russy | |
Léchelles was a small town in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. It was located in the Broye district.
In 1994, another town called Chandon joined with Léchelles. Then, on January 1, 2016, Léchelles merged with three other towns: Domdidier, Dompierre, and Russy. Together, they formed a new, larger town called Belmont-Broye.
Contents
History of Léchelles
Léchelles was first mentioned in old records in the year 1243. Back then, it was called Leschieres. For a while, it also had a German name, Leitern, but this name is not used anymore.
Geography and Landscape
Léchelles covered an area of about 8.8 square kilometers (3.4 square miles). A large part of this land, more than half (55.1%), was used for farming. This means there were many fields for growing crops and pastures for animals.
About 37.9% of the area was covered by forests. The rest of the land (6.6%) had buildings and roads. There were also small areas of rivers and lakes.
Léchelles was located between the cities of Fribourg and Payerne. It included the main village of Léchelles and the smaller village of Chandon.
Town Symbols: Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Léchelles has a blue background. It features a wavy silver stripe that goes across the middle. On either side of the stripe, there are two silver stars.
This coat of arms was created in 1994 when Chandon joined Léchelles. The wavy stripe came from Chandon's old coat of arms. The two stars represent the two towns that merged.
People and Population
In 2014, Léchelles had a population of 751 people. Over the ten years before 2010, the number of people living in Léchelles grew by about 16%. Most of this growth was because new people moved into the town.
In 2000, most people (90.9%) in Léchelles spoke French as their main language. German was the second most common language, spoken by about 8.2% of the people.
Many people living in Léchelles in 2000 were born there (40%). Others were born in the same canton (35.2%) or elsewhere in Switzerland (17.1%). A smaller number (5.2%) were born outside Switzerland.
The population included people of all ages. In 2000, about 14.9% were children under 9 years old, and 11.5% were teenagers. The largest groups were adults between 20 and 59 years old. There were also older adults, with about 8.7% being between 60 and 69 years old.
The chart below shows how the population of Léchelles changed over many years:
Important Buildings and Sites
The Mansion De Gottrau is a very important building in Léchelles. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. This means it is a special place that is protected because of its history and cultural value.
Economy and Jobs
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Léchelles was low, at 2.3%. This means most people who wanted to work had a job.
Most jobs in Léchelles were in three main areas:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming and forestry. In 2008, about 41 people worked in this area.
- Secondary sector: This includes jobs in manufacturing (making things) and construction (building things). About 12 people worked in this sector.
- Tertiary sector: This includes jobs that provide services, like working in shops, restaurants, or schools. About 48 people worked in this sector.
Many people who lived in Léchelles traveled to other towns for work. In 2000, 195 people left Léchelles to work elsewhere, while only 23 people came into Léchelles for their jobs. Most people (66%) used a private car to get to work, while some (16.4%) used public transportation.
Religion
In 2000, most people in Léchelles were Roman Catholic (75.5%). About 10.7% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. A small number of people belonged to other Christian churches or other religions like Islam. Some people did not belong to any church.
Education System
In Léchelles, many adults had completed a good level of education. About 32.6% had finished upper secondary education, which is like high school. About 9.9% had gone on to higher education, like university or a specialized college.
The school system in the Canton of Fribourg works like this:
- Kindergarten: One year of optional kindergarten.
- Primary School: Six years of primary school, which everyone must attend.
- Lower Secondary School: Three years of required secondary school. Students are grouped based on their abilities.
- Upper Secondary School: After lower secondary, students can choose to go to an optional three or four-year upper secondary school. This can be a gymnasium (which prepares students for university) or a vocational program (which teaches skills for specific jobs).
- Tertiary School: After upper secondary, students can go to a university or continue with an apprenticeship (on-the-job training).
During the 2010-2011 school year, Léchelles had 59 students in 3 classes. There was one kindergarten class and two primary classes. Students in lower secondary, upper secondary, and higher education usually went to schools in nearby towns.
See also
In Spanish: Léchelles para niños
