Chesalles Sur Moudon

Chesalles-sur-Moudon was a municipality situated in the Broye-Vully District of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Known historically for its agricultural landscape and small rural population, it ceased to exist as an independent municipality in 2017 when it merged with Brenles, Cremin, Forel-sur-Lucens and Sarzens to form the new municipality of Lucens. Its history, land use, and demographic characteristics reflect the typical patterns of rural communities in the Vaud region.

Historical Background

The earliest recorded mention of Chesalles-sur-Moudon dates to 1273, when it appeared under the name Chesales. Throughout its history, it formed part of the administrative structures of Vaud, remaining a small, agrarian settlement. Until the dissolution of the Moudon District on 31 August 2006, the municipality belonged to that district; thereafter it became part of the newly constituted Broye-Vully District.
Chesalles-sur-Moudon retained much of its historic rural character up to the time of the merger into Lucens in 2017. Its traditional coat of arms—Per bend Gules and Argent overall behind a Lion passant guardant holding a Scimitar a rising Sun all of Or—symbolised its heraldic identity within the region.

Geography and Land Use

Before the 2017 merger, Chesalles-sur-Moudon covered a small area with clearly defined land-use patterns typical of Vaud’s agricultural zone. Approximately 77.8% of the land was used for agricultural purposes, divided into:

• 58.1% for crop cultivation
• 17.4% for pastures
• 2.4% for orchards or vineyards

Forested land accounted for 11.4% of the total area, with all forested sections classified as dense woodland.
Settlement areas covered 10.2%, with housing and buildings forming 6.0% of the land and transport infrastructure 3.6%. The limited built-up area reflects the municipality’s modest population and its agrarian orientation.

Demographic Characteristics

Around the year 2000, Chesalles-sur-Moudon recorded a population of 159 individuals, continuing the fluctuating demographic trends seen since the sixteenth century. Long-term historical data illustrate gradual variations typical of rural communes, with population numbers rising and falling between 24 residents in the mid-sixteenth century and 159 by 2000.
The population in 2009 included approximately 4.5% resident foreign nationals. Between 1999 and 2009, the population grew by 7.2%, with migration contributing 9% and natural change (births and deaths) contributing 1.2%.
French was overwhelmingly the main language, spoken by 93.7% of residents. German and Dutch were spoken by small minorities, and a single resident reported Romansh as a mother tongue.
Most inhabitants were native to the area: 36.5% were born in Chesalles-sur-Moudon itself, and 38.4% were born elsewhere in the canton. A further 10.7% originated from other parts of Switzerland, while 11.3% were born outside the country.
The population structure showed a balanced age distribution:

• Children (0–9 years): 5.2%
• Teenagers (10–19 years): 16.8%
• Adults (20–59 years): the majority, spread across working ages
• Seniors (60+ years): a small but stable proportion

Household analysis in 2000 recorded 54 private households, averaging 2.9 persons each. There were 12 single-person households and 10 households with five or more people. Among family structures, 14 couples had no children, 26 had children, and 2 households were led by single parents.
Housing stock included 39 inhabited buildings, of which 19 were single-family homes and 8 were multi-family dwellings. A notable number of the houses were constructed between 1990 and 2000, indicating modest recent growth. The municipality contained 60 apartments, most being four-room dwellings. Vacancy rates stood at 0%, and the construction rate was measured at 6.5 new units per 1,000 residents.

Political Profile

In the 2007 Swiss federal election, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) secured the largest share of the vote at 39.45%. Other significant parties included:

• Social Democratic Party (SP) with 19.2%
• Green Party with 12.24%
• Various minor parties collectively accounting for 9.7%

A total of 53 ballots were cast, giving a voter turnout of 47.3%.

Economy and Employment

Chesalles-sur-Moudon maintained a predominantly agricultural economy. Its unemployment rate stood at 2.4%, reflecting relative economic stability.
Employment distribution included:

• Primary sector: 23 people across 8 agricultural businesses
• Secondary sector: 1 person in construction
• Tertiary sector: 2 people, including roles in education

The municipality had 16 full-time equivalent positions, with the largest share in agriculture. Commuting patterns indicated that Chesalles-sur-Moudon was a net exporter of labour: only 3 workers commuted into the municipality, while 49 commuted out. Among the working population, 8.5% used public transport, while 63.4% used private cars.

Religion

The majority of residents belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church (73%), while 10.7% identified as Roman Catholic. One resident identified with the Orthodox tradition. Around 11.3% reported no religious affiliation, and 4.4% did not answer the question.

Education

Educational attainment levels showed that 30.8% of residents had completed upper-secondary education, while 13.8% had completed tertiary education at universities or Fachhochschulen. Among those with higher education, 54.5% were Swiss men and 27.3% were Swiss women.
During the 2009–2010 school year, the local school district served 23 students. Vaud’s cantonal school structure provided two years of non-mandatory preschool, taken up by many children in the district. Eight pupils attended the local primary programme. The remainder were distributed across lower secondary levels according to cantonal guidelines.