Fleurier

Fleurier is a common Suisse of the Canton of Neuchâtel, in the district of Valley-of-Through.

Population

With 3660 inhabitants, Fleurier is the largest commune of the Valley of Through. The common one knew a population record of 4 ' 300 inhabitants at the end of the years 1960 and, since, lost inhabitants, like many commune of the Jura.

Economy

Until the 18th century, Fleurier was a country village like many others. Industrialization started in 1730, when the factory of Fuss watches settled in Fleurier. The commune then knew a fast industrialization, which diversified (clock industry and textiles primarily, but also of many factories of wormwood (until its prohibition in 1908), a tobacco factory, a factory of bicycles…). Thanks to this diversification, Fleurier escaped the great crises concerning a specific branch and mainly escaped the rural migration which the common neighbors knew. Clock making industry again makes (since 2000) extraordinary great strides. With famous and top-of-the-range marks, such Chopard, Parmigiani and Bovet-Fleurier.

History

The first mention of the place goes back to 1284. To the fourteenth century, Fleurier belongs to the priory Saint-Pierre de Môtiers, then with the châtellainie of Valley-of-Through until 1848.

Fleurier also saw being born and growing 2 prizes winner of the Nobel Prize, Charles Edouard Guillaume (physical, 1938) and Daniel Bovet (medicine 1957). First contributed to progress of the clock industry by the metal discovery with weak dilation like the Invar, and the second illustrated himself in the discovery of histamine.

Personalities

See too

  • Foundation Quality Fleurier the first qualitative clock making certification of finished watches.

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