Extra than simply one other farm within the Lausanne space, the EHL “Ferme” has a historical past all its personal. Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at its previous and uncover collectively the historical past of structure and the hidden treasures in our archives!
Pays de Vaud and Lausanne from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries
In 1536, Lausanne, like the remainder of the Pays de Vaud, fell underneath the dominion of the authorities in Bern. A variety of territories, together with Chalet-à-Gobet have been bestowed to the city of Lausanne, which was ruled by a bailiff dispatched from Bern and two councils made up of rich land house owners from Lausanne. It wasn’t till 1798 that Lausanne and the Vaud Canton would shrug off the yoke of Bernese subjugation. That is the historic backdrop towards which EHL’s most emblematic constructing, La Ferme, was constructed.
Architectural historians and the way the farm got here to be
The primary time that architectural historians have been in a position to examine the farm was in 1993 when an architectural census was taken within the Vaud Canton. The primary examine, albeit a succinct one, put ahead the date of 1750 for the development of the constructing1.
Mandated by EHL in 2015, the architectural historian, Isabelle Roland carried out a examine of the Cojonnex farm’s historical past and structure. In accordance with Roland, the constructing was in all probability constructed between 1730 and 1735 by the Metropolis of Lausanne2. In 1728, it was determined to construct the construction, however the funds have been truly disbursed two years later. In accordance with Roland, it was most likely a brand new building, given the price range that was allotted3.
On the map, which dates again to 1746, that traces the street stretching from Bern to Lausanne by way of the Jorat forest—which might change into the Route de Berne we all know and love right now—the farm is seen in a spot title referred to as Cojonnex (or Gojonez because it was recognized then) that belonged to the Metropolis of Lausanne. That is certainly our farm!
![Figure 1: Excerpt of the map of the road from Bern to Lausanne via the Jorat, 1746. [Excerpt from the map of the road from Bern to Lausanne via the Jorat, from 1746: ACV, Gc 537.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/xxl_153164069.jpg?t=1702046319)
![Figure 1: Excerpt of the map of the road from Bern to Lausanne via the Jorat, 1746. [Excerpt from the map of the road from Bern to Lausanne via the Jorat, from 1746: ACV, Gc 537.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153164069.jpg?t=1702046319)
So why did the Metropolis of Lausanne resolve to construct a farm at this specific location? The reply is printed in Anne Radeff’s guide entitled Lausanne et ses campagnes au 17e siècle, which sheds gentle on the financial system in Lausanne and outlying areas within the seventeenth century4. Her analysis supplies an in depth clarification of the city’s enterprise mannequin, which used huge territories abutting town as a income by means of tenant farming.
The farm, constructed on land belonging to town within the early 18th century, is due to this fact part of this financial system and households of farmers would proceed to function it technology after technology. The EHL farm is a undoubtedly an necessary instance of the development of a farm/residence mandated by the Metropolis of Lausanne within the 18th century.
A fast anecdote: Lively wineries nonetheless belong to Lausanne as reminders of this bygone financial system. If you wish to reserve a ‘Made in Lausanne’ historic classic you’ll need to bid the best through the public sale held yearly on the second Saturday of December, which has been occurring since 1803 5. Good luck!
The oldest picture within the EHL Archives dates from 1915 the place the Martin-Borgeaud household stands with their two cows. This means that tenant farming had at all times taken place on the Cojonnex property from its building till the twentieth century.
![Figure 2: The Martin-Borgeaud family in front of “La Ferme”, 1915. [EHL Archives, Audio-visual, Buildings: la Ferme, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BB-1915-3-1, 1915.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/xxl_153164070.jpg?t=1702046375)
![Figure 2: The Martin-Borgeaud family in front of “La Ferme”, 1915. [EHL Archives, Audio-visual, Buildings: la Ferme, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BB-1915-3-1, 1915.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153164070.jpg?t=1702046375)
Swiss Lodge Affiliation takes the choice to go away the Avenue de Cour
On the finish of the Nineteen Sixties, EHL was prospering and noticed enrolment climb to about 600 college students, half of whom have been off doing an internship overseas. Quite a few additions to the campus on Avenue de Cour have been made, similar to an bold outbuilding in 1970. Nonetheless, the college was cramped on the town and eyed a really daring growth. Discussions about overhauling the curriculum, together with shifting from a 3- to a 4-semester program, underscored the shortage of area. Such a modification would change EHL’s tutorial provide and would require further school rooms, to not point out the various extra college students who can be on the campus at any given time.
On June 16, 1971, the Société Suisse des Hôteliers, because the governing physique of the École hôtelière was recognized on the time, determined to drag up stakes and depart the Avenue de Cour campus. For this reason administration, led by Eric Gerber, director from 1968 to 1973, began to prospect for brand spanking new lands to deal with the école hôtelière of tomorrow. And so they used all manners of communication to discover a new dwelling, together with adverts within the native paper!
![Figure 3: Newspaper ad seeking a new plot of land for the school, 1971. [EHL Archives, EHL-EPSSH, press clipping, La Suisse, 1971.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/xxl_153164071.jpg?t=1702046402)
![Figure 3: Newspaper ad seeking a new plot of land for the school, 1971. [EHL Archives, EHL-EPSSH, press clipping, La Suisse, 1971.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153164071.jpg?t=1702046402)
The college acquired a bunch of attention-grabbing gives together with from the close by city of Puidoux-Chexbres. After intensive negotiations, the Metropolis of Lausanne received the bid in 1972 and the Société Suisse des Hôteliers determined to arrange the college in Chalet-à-Gobet, on the excessive northern tip of Lausanne.
The Nouvelle École, because it was referred to as, was constructed on a leafy lot that stretched alongside the Route de Berne on the fringe of a forest. The acquisition of the land got here with all constructions and outbuildings positioned on that land, which meant the La Ferme was in non-public palms for the primary time in its lengthy historical past.
Nonetheless, the farm stood tall because the land was reworked and new buildings sprouted up.
Removed from being forged apart, the farm grew to become the precise and symbolic heart of the Nouvelle École. After some renovation work, it grew to become a hub of leisure and rest for college students, a narrative that was picked up by media shops on the time.
![Figure 4: Photograph of the first model of the Nouvelle École, 1972. [EHL Archives, Fonds audiovisuel, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BH-1972-3-1-1, 1972.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/xxl_153164072.jpg?t=1702046419)
![Figure 4: Photograph of the first model of the Nouvelle École, 1972. [EHL Archives, Fonds audiovisuel, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BH-1972-3-1-1, 1972.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153164072.jpg?t=1702046419)
In 1974, there was a serious shock: the Nouvelle École’s building fee filed to demolish the farm as a result of pricey renovations have been wanted, the constructing was unfit for its new use and the farm’s fashion was deemed antiquated given the fashionable campus. In January 1975, the fee even employed an organization to do the demolition work.
However La Ferme wasn’t about to go down with out a battle and, in Could 1975, the fee’s demolition allow was rejected by the native authorities. The farm was to be saved as specified within the constructing allow that had initially been licensed.
![Figure 5: Construction of the Nouvelle École: the farm amid tower cranes, 1974. [EHL Archives, Audiovisual, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BH-1974-3-1-2, 1974.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/xxl_153164073.jpg?t=1702046428)
![Figure 5: Construction of the Nouvelle École: the farm amid tower cranes, 1974. [EHL Archives, Audiovisual, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BH-1974-3-1-2, 1974.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153164073.jpg?t=1702046428)
New EHL campus, new farm
Development on the brand new campus started in 2017, which required the farm to be dismantled solely to be put again collectively once more in the midst of the brand new campus. The brand new-and-improved farm was unveiled on July 2022 within the presence of Swiss president Ignazio Cassis. Spacious and trendy, it presently homes a café—however not simply any café, a Montreux Jazz Café, from the well-known music competition created in 1967 on the shores of Lake Geneva by Claude Nobs, an EHL alumnus!
The brand new farm is an identical to the outdated constructing however with new supplies. Charming historic particulars, such because the inexperienced sandstone window casings and doorways, have been preserved (as required by the Lausanne authorities accountable for heritage websites).
![Figure 6: Alumni event in front of La Ferme, 1982. [EHL Archives, Fonds audiovisuel, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BI-1982-4-1, 1982.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/xxl_153164074.jpg?t=1702046446)
![Figure 6: Alumni event in front of La Ferme, 1982. [EHL Archives, Fonds audiovisuel, CH-000963-7 AV-PH-BI-1982-4-1, 1982.]— Source: EHL](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153164074.jpg?t=1702046446)
With its historical past made up of ups and downs, La Ferme is the epitome of the expression “turning our weaknesses right into a energy”. Maybe cumbersome for the development fee of the Nouvelle École within the Nineteen Seventies, it has right now change into a vital landmark and the image of the Lausanne campus.
1. GLAUSER, Daniel, ROLAND, Isabelle, Recensement architectural du Canton de Vaud, Path générale des immeubles et du patrimoine, Monuments et websites, 1993, fiche n°Cojo 18
2. ROLAND, Isabelle, Lausanne ancienne ferme de Cojonnex propriété de l’École hôtelière de Lausanne. Étude historique et architecturale, Lausanne : EHL, 2015
3. Ibidem, p. 1 – 3
4. RADEFF, Anne, Lausanne et ses campagnes au 17e siècle, Lausanne : Presses Centrales Lausanne, 1980
Sources
- EHL Archives
- Archives Cantonales Vaudoises [ACV]
- Archives de la Ville de Lausanne [AVL]
- Dictionnaire Historique Suisse [DHS]: https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/fr/
- GLAUSER, Daniel, ROLAND, Isabelle, Recensement architectural du Canton de Vaud, Path générale des immeubles et du patrimoine, Monuments et websites, 1993, fiche n°Cojo 18
- Lausanne Capitale Olympique: https://www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/fr/
- RADEFF, Anne, Lausanne et ses campagnes au 17e siècle, Lausanne: Presses Centrales Lausanne, 1980
- ROLAND, Isabelle, Lausanne ancienne ferme de Cojonnex propriété de l’École hôtelière de Lausanne. Étude historique et architecturale, Lausanne : EHL, 2015
For additional data, please contact: [email protected]
The EHL farm is an establishment, an emblematic constructing and the place to be! Numerous events have taken place inside its partitions, creating unforgettable reminiscences for a lot of alumni.
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