Perrefitte

Perrefitte is a common Suisse of the Canton of Bern, located in the District of Moutier. It belongs to the area of the the Bernese Jura, the French-speaking part of the Canton of Bern. Its old German names Beffert and Pfeffert are not any more use today.

Geography

Perrefitte is located at 600 meters of altitude. This old agricultural village extends to 2 km in the west from Moutier, in the chain of the Jura, on left bank of the Chalière brook which is thrown in the Birse with Moutier.

Its surface of 8.7 km ² constitutes the western part of the Grand Valley (valley of Moutier), and is bathed by the Chalière. In the southern area Combe Fabet, a kind of small throat is forming a secondary valley, where the Chalière occurs. The Moron constitutes the southern border of the commune and rises to 1140 m on the territory of the commune of Perrefitte. To north, the communal territory extends on the chain from the Montagne from Moutier, which highest constitutes with its 1158 m the point of Perrefitte. In 1997, the territory was distributed in the following proportions: 4% of dwellings, 66% of forest, 29% of agricultural surface and a little less than 1% of unproductive surface.

The communes bordering are Moutier, Champoz and Souboz in the Canton of Bern, and Soulce in the Canton of the Jura

History

The first written mention of the village goes back to 1295 and refers in the name of Pierefite. In 1321 appears the Perefiten term, then Pierefetteau, and in 1548 Pierrefette. This name is derived from Latin will petra ficta, which means??. The village remains attached to the Abbaye of Moutier-Grandval until the end of the 18th century. From 1797 to 1815, Perrefitte belongs to the France, within the department of Mount-Terrible, then, as from 1800, of the department of the Haut-Rhin, to which the department of Mount-Terrible was attached. By decision of the Congress of Vienna, the territory of old the évêché of Basle was allotted to the Canton of Bern, in 1815.

Industry

Perrefitte was characterized for a long time by agriculture. Then, following the industrialization of Moutier, some small companies were established along the Chalière, at the border of Moutier. The last decades saw the village being transformed into a calm place where it makes good things in life. Many inhabitants of the village work with Moutier or elsewhere.

Transport

The commune extends along the cantonal road which connects Moutier to Bellelay while passing by Souboz. With the construction of the Swiss Highway A16, which will join the highway network of the Suisse with that of the France, Perrefitte obtains an rapid access with the other areas.

Sport

For several years, Perrefitte has become the Swiss capital of the VTT, the one weekend time. A race of the SwissPowerCup and Bike Cup Watch Valley proceed there in one of the splendid landscapes of the mountains of the Jura.

Gastronomy

The gastronomical guide Gault-Millau counts a restaurant with Perrefitte: the Restoring Star (13 points out of 20 in the guide 2005) Site of the Restaurant

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