History and culture

The first mention of the area dates back to 516: Sigismond, the king of Burgundy ceded the territory of Ollon, then called Aulonum, as well at the entire countryside at the end of the lake, to the Abbey of Saint-Maurice.

In the 10th century, a lookout tower was erected on the hill at St. Triphon where it still stands majestically today. In the course of the Burgundy wars, the territory of Ollon fell, as did Aigle, into the hands of the Bernese. However, the Abbott of Saint-Maurice retained entailment rights on property until 1636, when at the request of Bern they were acquired by the inhabitants of the territory. He also held several beautiful properties in the area.

It was only in the first half of the 16th century that the designation of Ollon as an entity appeared; for it was under the Bernese regime that Ollon became a real political unit called a "mandement".

A federal organisation governed the town, which was divided into 12 wards or districts called "dizains". Each ward, in conjunction with its citizens, managed its finances, chose its flag with different combinations of red and green and elected its council, made up of heads of family, which was responsible for issues relating to water, communication of messages, rural policing and schools. However, an assembly that met in the protestant church of Ollon was in charge of town government and judiciary matters. (The special chair dating from 1655, reserved for the bailiff when administering justice, has been placed in the Saint-Michel chapel, where you can still see it.) The assembly was also responsible for relations with other towns and cities, the management of the vast collective alpine pastures, disputes relating to boundaries and the enjoyment of property, the construction of dykes, levees and roads, as well as military affairs.

Apart from the assembly, a 24-member tribunal council discharged day-to-day matters. It was only in 1803 that the designation "town" replaced the designation "mandement" which had simply made the area real political unit. Unlike what happened in other regions of the canton, the "dizains" remained united. None of them expressed the desire to become a separate town. In the early 19th century, the mountain "dizains" seriously considered independence. However, a vote of the Grand Council refused to allow them to secede. Thus came into being the town of Ollon, whose current varied geographic and demographic aspects, shape the extensive diversity of its economic activities.

Anyone who takes the time to wander on the roads and paths of the town, to pass through our 23 villages and hamlets and to observe closely what they see, cannot help but be impressed by the different ways of life that exist in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings. First there is Ollon, the county seat, the large village clustered around its bell tower and surrounded by its wine-producing district. Located at the foot of the mountain, it enjoys a privileged climate with an almost southern "joie de vivre". Water from springs, after long meanderings, fills more than 13 fountains and 17 basins. What beautiful homes there are to admire, in spite of how close the houses are to each other! The city hall, renovated a few years ago, the former town office building that now houses the winegrowers centre, the administrative building dating from 1885, the protestant church and its presbytery are all charming witnesses to the past. Not to forget the Château de la Roche whose origins date back to the early 13th century and which is now beginning a new life.

Some of the inhabitants of this picturesque village devote themselves to agriculture, livestock raising or crafts, and many consider themselves fortunate to have a vineyard that they cultivate lovingly to produce the much appreciated "grand crû d'Ollon", made and sold by the Winegrowers Association and several vintner-cellars proud of the various vintages produced on these sunny hillsides. The village has extended farther south in the past few decades; among the orchards, villas have sprung up rivalling each other in tidiness and charm. The painter, Frédéric Rouge, delighted in immortalising these magnificent landscapes in his works.