Ayent

Ayent is a common Suisse of the Canton of Were worth, located in the District of Hérens.

Localization of the commune

The commune of Ayent extends on all the right side from the valley from the the Rhone, of St-Léonard at the top of Wildhorn which constitutes the separation of water of the Bernese Alps and the border between the cantons of the Valais and of Bern. On this territory which narrows towards the south, on a distance from approximately 20 km only, superimpose all the degrees of altitudes and of vegetations which characterize the side sunny of the principal valley of Were worth. Lienne which separates the mountain vertically limits the commune on its east coast in all its length up to 1800 m where the dam Tseuzier was built artificially.

The principal localities are located at the west of Lienne on small terraces at an altitude from 900 to 1' 050 m on a ground of moraine corrugated and strewn with small brooks. Above the villages, in the mountainous region (approx. 1' 500-1' 600 m) on a more or less covered zone of forest the mayens rise and more known the tourist resort of Anzère. Still higher, to approximately 2' 000 m the mountain pastures extend.

History of the commune

Name " Ayent" is old. One finds a first quotation in a document of 1052 when the name is written Agent. A seigniory and a castle are attested in Ayent at that time. With the twelfth century one finds already the orthography current in the middle of other forms also employed: Have, Aent and Ayens. From 1376 to 1798, Ayent belongs to the bishop of Sion, which makes it manage by a lord of the manor. The territory of the seigniory is crossed by the important passage of Rawil which, in spite of various improvements of the mule track at the XIXe century, was little by little abandoned. The community, mentioned since 1257, includes/understands as of the Middle Ages the " tiers" of Luc, Botyre and Arbaz. In addition, the " tiers" from Arbaz separates from Ayent in 1877 to become an autonomous commune. The village of Blignou is attached to the commune of Ayent since 1875.

Economy

Its economy is turned towards tourism (station of Anzère) and towards agriculture (important wine field). The population was still with strong country majority in 1910.

See too

North wind

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