Grandval and the Abbey

4 April 2022

The village is located in the Grand Val (around 900 Grandemvallem). The village Grandval came into being after the foundation of the abbey of Moutier-Grandval, founded around 640.

The famous medieval Bible of Moutier-Grandval (nowadays in the British Museum in London) and the cross of St. Germain (in the Musée jurassien d’art et d’histoire in Delémont today) have given worldwide fame to the village.

Grandval belonged to the abbey until 1797. After the French invasion of 1792, the village passed into the French departments of Mont-Terrible (1793-1800) and Haut-Rhin (1800-1813) before being annexed to Bern in 1815.

First mentioned in 962 and dedicated to St. Martin, the chapel became the parish church in the 14th century. After 1663 the church was rebuilt several times. It has been a reformed parish since 1531.

(Source and further information: Historisches Lexicon der Schweiz, François Riwart, translation Anja Lindner, 10.01.2006).