Perrefitte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perrefitte
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 Perrefitte
Location in Switzerland
Perrefitte
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Jura bernois | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 8.57 km2 (3.31 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 600 m (2,000 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 481 | |
| • Density | 56.13/km2 (145.37/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
2742
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| Surrounded by | Moutier, Champoz, Souboz, Soulce | |
Perrefitte is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is located in the Bern canton, which is like a state. Perrefitte is part of the Jura bernois district. Most people here speak French. In the past, it had old German names like Beffert and Pfeffert, but these are not used anymore.
Contents
History of Perrefitte
Perrefitte was first mentioned in official papers in 1295. Back then, it was called Pierefite. Later, its name changed a few times, like Perefiten and Pierrefette. The name comes from a Latin phrase meaning "fixed stone."
For a long time, until the late 1700s, Perrefitte was part of the Moutier-Grandval community. From 1797 to 1815, Perrefitte was actually part of France. It belonged to a French area called Mont-Terrible. After 1800, it became part of the Haut-Rhin Department in France.
In 1815, a big meeting called the Congress of Vienna decided that the land of the old Basel diocese would become part of the Bern canton in Switzerland. This is how Perrefitte became part of Switzerland.
Geography and Nature
Perrefitte is located about 600 meters (nearly 2,000 feet) above sea level. This old farming village is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) west of Moutier. It sits in the Jura Mountains, next to a small stream called the Chalière. This stream flows into the Birse river in Moutier. Perrefitte is in the western part of the Grand Val, which is the valley of Moutier.
To the south, there is a small valley called Combe Fabet. The Chalière stream flows down from here. The Moron mountain is the southern border of Perrefitte, reaching 1,140 meters (3,740 feet) high. To the north, the land stretches to the Mountain of Moutier. This is the highest point in Perrefitte, at 1,158 meters (3,799 feet).
Perrefitte shares its borders with several other towns. These include Moutier, Champoz, and Souboz in the Bern canton. It also borders Soulce in the Jura canton.
Land Use in Perrefitte
Perrefitte covers an area of 8.67 square kilometers (3.35 square miles). A large part of this land is covered by forests, about 65.8%. Another 30.5% of the land is used for farming. This includes growing crops, pastures for animals, and alpine pastures.
About 4% of the land is developed with buildings and roads. A very small amount, about 0.1%, is made up of rivers or lakes. The rest is unproductive land. Most of the water in Perrefitte is flowing water from streams.
In 2010, Perrefitte joined a new administrative area called Arrondissement administratif Jura bernois.
Town Symbol: Coat of Arms
The official symbol of Perrefitte is its coat of arms. It shows a shield split down the middle. One side is silver, and the other is red. On this shield, there are two keys. The keys are colored opposite to the background: a red key on the silver side, and a silver key on the red side. They are placed back-to-back.
People of Perrefitte
As of 2011, Perrefitte had a population of 464 people. About 11.7% of the people living here are foreign nationals. Over the last ten years, the population has changed a little.
Most people in Perrefitte speak French as their main language. About 84.2% of the population speaks French. German is the second most common language, spoken by 9.2% of the people. Italian is spoken by 2.9% of the population.
Population Details
In 2008, about 48.3% of the population was male, and 51.7% was female. Most people living in Perrefitte were born in Switzerland. About 27.5% of the people were born in Perrefitte itself. Another 33.8% were born in the same canton (Bern). About 23.1% were born elsewhere in Switzerland. Only 11.8% were born outside of Switzerland.
In 2011, children and teenagers (ages 0-19) made up 18.5% of the population. Adults (ages 20-64) made up 59.9%. Seniors (over 64 years old) made up 21.6%.
In 2000, there were 180 single people in Perrefitte. There were 259 married people, 28 widows or widowers, and 9 divorced people.
Housing in Perrefitte
In 2010, there were 54 homes where only one person lived. There were also 13 homes with five or more people. Most apartments in Perrefitte are lived in all the time. In 2011, single-family homes made up about 66.5% of all housing in the town.
The chart below shows how the population of Perrefitte has changed over many years:
Economy and Jobs
For a long time, farming was the main activity in Perrefitte. As the nearby town of Moutier grew with industries, some small businesses opened in Perrefitte. These were often located along the Chalière stream, near Moutier.
In recent years, Perrefitte has become a quiet place to live. Many people who live here now work in Moutier or travel even further for their jobs.
Employment Details
In 2011, the unemployment rate in Perrefitte was low, at 1.07%. In 2008, there were 78 people working in the town.
- 26 people worked in the primary sector (like farming). There were 8 businesses in this area.
- 15 people worked in the secondary sector (like manufacturing and construction). There were 9 businesses in this area.
- 37 people worked in the tertiary sector (like services, shops, and restaurants). There were 14 businesses in this area.
Most people who live in Perrefitte also work there. In 2000, 60 workers (about 70%) lived and worked in Perrefitte. However, 173 people who lived in Perrefitte traveled to other towns for work. Only 26 people came into Perrefitte from other towns to work.
When traveling to work, 5.6% of people used public transportation. A much larger group, 69.1%, used a private car.
Religion in Perrefitte
Based on the 2000 census, people in Perrefitte follow different religions:
- 186 people (39.1%) belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
- 143 people (30.0%) were Roman Catholic.
- 53 people (11.13%) belonged to other Christian churches.
- 17 people (3.57%) were Islamic.
- 60 people (12.61%) did not belong to any church, or were agnostic or atheist.
- 14 people (2.94%) did not answer the question about religion.
Education System
In Perrefitte, about 57% of the people have finished non-mandatory upper secondary education. This means they went to school beyond the required years. About 12.5% have completed even higher education, like university.
The school system in the Bern canton starts with one year of optional kindergarten. After that, students go to six years of primary school. Then, there are three years of lower secondary school. In secondary school, students are grouped based on their abilities. After lower secondary school, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade).
School Enrollment
During the 2011-2012 school year, 29 students attended classes in Perrefitte.
- There was one kindergarten class with 8 students. Some of these students were not Swiss citizens, and some spoke a different language at home.
- There was one primary class with 21 students. Some of these students were also not Swiss citizens, and some spoke a different language at home.
In 2000, 36 students who lived in Perrefitte also went to school there. Only one student came from another town to attend school in Perrefitte. In the same year, 34 residents of Perrefitte went to schools outside the town.
Transportation Links
Perrefitte is located along a main road that connects Moutier with Bellelay, passing through Souboz. Soon, a new highway called the "transjura" motorway (A16) will be finished. This highway will connect Switzerland's road network with France's. Once it's done, Perrefitte will have quick access to other areas.
Sports and Activities
For one weekend each year, Perrefitte becomes a big center for mountain biking (VTT). During this time, races like the SwissPowerCup and Bike Cup Watch Valley happen here. These races take place in the beautiful Jura mountains around the town.
Local Food and Restaurants
The famous food guide, Gault-Millau, has mentioned a restaurant in Perrefitte. It's called the Restaurant de l’Etoile. In the 2005 guide, it received 13 out of 20 points, which is a good rating.
See also
In Spanish: Perrefitte para niños
