Val-de-Charmey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Val-de-Charmey
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Charmey village
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 Val-de-Charmey
Location in Switzerland
Val-de-Charmey
Location in Canton of Fribourg
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Fribourg | |
| District | Gruyère | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 112.07 km2 (43.27 sq mi) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 2,548 | |
| • Density | 22.736/km2 (58.885/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1637, 1654
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| Surrounded by | Bas-Intyamon, Botterens, Broc, Châtel-sur-Montsalvens, Corbières, Château-d’Oex (VD), Crésuz, Grandvillard, Gruyères, Hauteville, Jaun, La Roche, Plaffeien, Plasselb, Rougemont (VD), Saanen (BE) | |
| Twin towns | Orphin (France) | |
Val-de-Charmey is a town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It's located in the canton of Fribourg, within the Gruyère district. On January 1, 2014, two smaller towns, Cerniat and Charmey, joined together to form the single municipality of Val-de-Charmey.
Contents
History of Val-de-Charmey
Early Mentions
Imagine going back in time! The area of Cerniat was first written about in 1288, called Sernia then. Charmey is even older, first mentioned in 1211 as Chalmeis. For a long time, until 1760, Charmey was known by a different name: Feiguières. Some people also know Val-de-Charmey by its German name, Galmis.
Geography of Val-de-Charmey
Val-de-Charmey covers a total area of about 112 square kilometers (or 43 square miles). It's a beautiful mix of different landscapes.
Land Use
A big part of the land, about 43.7%, is used for farming. This means there are fields for crops or pastures where animals graze. Forests cover another large section, about 41.9% of the area, making it a very green place. About 2.1% of the land has buildings and roads, which is where people live and move around. The remaining 12.2% is land that isn't used for farming, forests, or buildings, like rocky areas or high mountains.
Changes Over Time
Since the 1980s, some things have changed in Val-de-Charmey's landscape. The amount of land covered by buildings has grown by about 53 hectares. That's like adding 53 football fields of new buildings! At the same time, the amount of land used for farming has gone down a bit, by about 286 hectares. But don't worry, the amount of forest has actually increased by 308 hectares. Also, about 110 hectares of the municipality are covered by rivers and lakes.
People of Val-de-Charmey
Population and Diversity
Val-de-Charmey is home to about 2,295 people. As of 2016, about 16.8% of the people living here are from other countries. For example, in 2015, a small group of 136 people (about 5.6% of the population) were born in France. The number of people living in Val-de-Charmey has grown by about 11.65% between 2010 and 2016.
Age Groups and Families
In 2016, young people (ages 0–19) made up 18.8% of the population. Adults (ages 20–64) were the largest group at 57.5%. Seniors (over 64 years old) made up 23.7% of the population. Most adults in Val-de-Charmey are married or in a partnership, while others are single, widowed, or divorced.
Homes and Housing
In 2016, there were 1,087 private homes in Val-de-Charmey. On average, about 2.19 people lived in each home. Most of the buildings, about 61.6%, are single family homes, which means one family lives in each house. This is similar to the rest of the Fribourg canton and Switzerland.
Historic Population Trends
The chart below shows how the population of Cerniat and Charmey changed over many years before they merged. You can see how the number of people living in each town grew or shrunk over time.
Important Heritage Sites
Val-de-Charmey is home to some very important historical places. These are called heritage sites of national significance, meaning they are protected because they are special to Switzerland's history and culture.
The Chartreuse De La Valsainte is one of these sites. It's a type of monastery. Also, two old alpine chalets, which are traditional mountain houses, are listed: the one at Le Lapé 320 and the one at Pra de La Monse 249. These buildings help us understand the past and how people lived and worked in the mountains.
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Chartreuse De La Valsainte
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Alpine Chalet at Le Lapé 320
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Alpine Chalet at Pra de La Monse 249
Economy of Val-de-Charmey
Val-de-Charmey has a mixed economy, which means its money comes from different types of jobs and businesses. It's known as an "agro-industrial community," where both farming and making things (manufacturing) are important.
Jobs and Businesses
In 2016, there were 1,095 people working in Val-de-Charmey. These jobs are divided into three main groups:
- Primary Sector: This includes jobs that get raw materials from nature, like farming and forestry. About 135 people worked in 39 businesses in this sector.
- Secondary Sector: These jobs involve making things, like in factories or construction. There were 328 workers in 48 businesses in this sector.
- Tertiary Sector: This is the biggest group and includes jobs that provide services to people, like shops, hotels, schools, and healthcare. About 632 people worked in 128 businesses in this sector. Many of these jobs were in larger businesses.
