Mies, Switzerland facts for kids

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Mies

Coat of arms

Mies

Location in Switzerland

Mies

Location in Canton of Vaud

Switzerland

Area

• Total

3.45 km² (1.33 sq mi)

Elevation

410 m (1,350 ft)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

2,165

• Density

627.5/km² (1,625.3/sq mi)

Postal code

1295

Surrounded by

Tannay, Chavannes-des-Bois, Versoix (GE)

Mies is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is located in the Vaud area, near the city of Nyon. Mies is one of the towns in Vaud known as "Terre-Sainte."

This town is found about halfway between the big cities of Geneva and Nyon. Mies is right on the edge of Lake Geneva, which is a very large lake. The highest point in Mies is 455 meters above sea level. Nearby towns include Versoix to the southwest and Tannay to the north. A small stream called le nant du Torry separates Mies from Tannay.

History of Mies
Fun Things to Do in Mies
Nature Reserves in Mies
- La Gouille Marion Nature Reserve
- Les Crénées Nature Reserve
Geography of Mies
Getting Around Mies
- Train Travel
- Bus Travel
Mies Coat of Arms
People of Mies
Economy of Mies
Religion in Mies
Education in Mies
Sports Organizations in Mies
Notable Residents
Image gallery
See also

History of Mies

People think the name Mies comes from its location. It might mean "halfway" (mi-) between Geneva and Nyon. Another idea is that it's halfway between Versoix and Coppet.

People have lived in this area since the Bronze Age, a very long time ago. The first time Mies was written about was in 1345. Back then, it was called Miez. Over time, its name was spelled in different ways like Mier, Myez, and Myer. Finally, in 1912, it became "Mies."

In 1536, the area of Vaud was taken over by Bern. Mies then became part of the Nyon district. From 1536 until 1815, Mies was a border town with France. This changed when the area of Geneva became its own canton (state) in 1815.

The village center of Mies

Fun Things to Do in Mies

Mies has great places for sports and outdoor activities.

There's a large football field.
You can also find a basketball court.
There are areas for boules, which is a game similar to bocce.
A running track is available for athletes.
Tennis courts are also part of the sports area.
Kids can enjoy a playground with swings and climbing frames.

The sports clubhouse has showers and a snack bar. These are usually open when football games are happening.

Mies is also home to the Polo de Veytay field. Here, exciting polo matches are played each year, like the Geneva Polo Masters. This polo field is part of a huge farming and forest area called Domaine de Veytay. This area covers about 40% of the town!

Close to Mies, in the neighboring town of Versoix, is the Versoix Sports Centre. This center has a swimming pool where you can go for a swim.

Mies also has a public beach right on Lake Geneva. This beach is very popular in the summer. Many people come here to swim and have barbecues.

Nature Reserves in Mies

Mies has special areas set aside to protect nature.

La Gouille Marion Nature Reserve

The Domaine de Veytay area includes a nature reserve called la Gouille Marion. It covers 7 hectares (about 17 acres). Even though it's private land, you can walk through the forest. You can visit a large pond and watch birds from special viewing sheds.

This area used to be a marshy wetland that flooded in winter. In 1972, a group called the "Society for the protection of woodlands on the north side of the lake" helped create the large pond. They built two small islands in the pond. They also made a ditch to control the water level.

A bird observatory was built so people could watch birds without disturbing them. In 1973, la Gouille Marion became a nature reserve. During nesting season (March 1 to August 1), you must stay on the paths. Hunting is not allowed, and dogs must be on their leashes.

The forest and pond are home to many animals. You can see different kinds of birds, insects, and amphibians like frogs and toads. Mammals such as deer, wild boar, and foxes also live here and drink from the pond.

Les Crénées Nature Reserve

Mies has another nature reserve called Les Crénées. It is located along the lakeshore. This reserve is also private property and is not open to the public.

Geography of Mies

Mies covers an area of about 3.5 square kilometers (1.35 square miles). A large part of this land is used for farming, about 33.6%. Forests cover another big part, about 32.5%. Buildings and roads make up about 34.2% of the area. A small amount of land is rivers or lakes, and a tiny bit is unproductive.

Most of the built-up area is for homes and other buildings. Some land is used for transportation like roads. Parks and sports fields also take up some space. In the forested areas, most are dense forests. Some parts have orchards or small groups of trees. For farming, land is used for crops, pastures, and fruit trees or vineyards. All the water in Mies is from Lake Geneva.

Mies is located on a flat area, like a terrace, above Lake Geneva.

Getting Around Mies

Mies has good ways to travel, especially by train.

Train Travel

Mies is on the main railway line that connects Geneva and Lausanne. This train line was built in 1858. The Mies train station is served by local trains called the Leman Express. These trains go north to Coppet or south to Versoix and Geneva. They even continue into neighboring France to Annemasse. Trains run very often, every 15 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, and every half-hour on Sundays.

Bus Travel

The closest public bus service is the "V" Service. This bus runs from central Geneva (Cornavin train station). It stops just outside Mies at the "Centre Sportif la Bécassière," which is also known as the Versoix Swimming Pool. From there, it's a nice walk to Mies village, mostly along paths for walking and cycling.

Mies Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Mies has a special design. It is split down the middle. One side is gold, and the other side is blue. From a black hill with silver lines, three green pine trees grow upwards.

People of Mies

Mies has a population of about 1,700 people. Many people who live here are from other countries, about 40.6% of the population. Over the last 10 years, the population has grown quite a bit.

Most people in Mies speak French. About 73% of the population speaks French. The second most common language is English, spoken by about 10% of the people. German is the third most common language.

Mies has a good mix of ages. About 11.7% of the population are young children (0-9 years old). Teenagers (10-19 years old) make up about 15.1%. Adults are spread across different age groups, with many people in their 40s and 50s. There are also many older people living in Mies.

Economy of Mies

In 2010, the unemployment rate in Mies was 4.4%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.

Mies has different types of jobs:

Primary sector: A small number of people work in farming.
Secondary sector: More people work in factories (manufacturing) and construction.
Tertiary sector: Most people work in the service industry. This includes jobs in sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and healthcare. Many people also work as technical professionals or scientists.

Many people who live in Mies travel to other towns for work. Also, some people come into Mies from other places, including outside Switzerland, to work here. Most people use a private car to get to work, but some use public transportation like trains.

Religion in Mies

According to a survey in 2000, about 33.4% of the people in Mies were Roman Catholic. About 31.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. There were also smaller numbers of people who were Orthodox Christian, Jewish, or Islamic. Some people belonged to other Christian churches, or were Buddhist or Hindu. About 17% of the population said they didn't belong to any church.

Education in Mies

Many adults in Mies have a good education. About 26.2% have finished high school. Even more, about 29.3%, have gone on to higher education, like university.

In the 2009/2010 school year, there were 133 students in the Mies school district. The local government helps provide two years of pre-school for young children. The primary school program lasts for four years, and there were 83 students in primary school in Mies. The middle school program lasts for six years, and 49 students were in those schools.

Many students who live in Mies go to schools in other towns. Also, some students come from other towns to attend school in Mies.

Sports Organizations in Mies

Mies is an important place for international sports. It is home to the main offices of two big sports organizations:

FIBA: This is the international group that governs basketball around the world.
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM): This is the international group that governs motorcycle racing.