Prévondavaux

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Prévondavaux is a very small municipality in western Switzerland, in the canton of Fribourg and the Broye district. It covers about 1.8 square kilometers and sits at an elevation of 688 meters. As of December 2020, 83 people lived there, making it a quiet, rural community. The main language is French, with a few residents speaking German or Italian.

Geography and surroundings
The village is in the far western corner of the Surpierre exclave and is surrounded by Cheiry, Combremont-le-Petit, Denezy, Forel-sur-Lucens, and Villars-le-Comte. Most of the land is used for farming (about two thirds) and forests (about one third), with a small portion developed for buildings and roads.

History and symbols
Prévondavaux was first mentioned in 1403 as Profunda vallis. It used to have a German name, Tiefental, but that name is no longer used. The coat of arms is a red shield with a wavy white diagonal band and a gold five-pointed star at the top.

Population and life
The community is very small. In recent years, it has had a mix of residents born in the municipality, elsewhere in Switzerland, and abroad. The population is predominantly French-speaking. People live in a handful of private households, and most homes are permanently occupied.

Economy and work
Unemployment is very low. Most jobs are in agriculture, with a few in construction and services. Many residents commute to work outside the municipality.

Education
In the 2010–11 school year, Prévondavaux had a single primary class with students who mostly attend school in neighboring municipalities for other levels. The canton provides the local framework for Kindergarten and primary education, followed by lower secondary schooling elsewhere.

Religion
The population includes Roman Catholics and members of the Swiss Reformed Church, with some people belonging to other faiths or having no religion.

Overall, Prévondavaux is a small, rural Swiss village known for its agricultural landscape and quiet, close-knit community.