Overview
Peney-le-Jorat was a small rural municipality record in the district Gros-de-Vaud (Gros-de-Vaud) of the canton Vaud (Vaud) in Switzerland. Situated on the Swiss Plateau near the wooded Jorat hills, it lay within the French-speaking part of the canton and formed one of several small communities in a mixed agricultural and forested landscape.
Geography and landscape
The locality combined open arable fields, pasture and small woodlands typical of the Gros-de-Vaud agricultural plain and the lower slopes of the Jorat. Its setting provided a rural character with farmsteads, narrow lanes and access to regional trails; the area functions as a transition between larger urban centres and the more densely forested Jorat ridge.
History and municipal merger
Peney-le-Jorat existed as an independent commune until a local reorganisation on 1 July 2011. In a move consistent with cantonal policies encouraging the consolidation of very small communes to strengthen local services and governance, it joined neighbouring communities to form a single municipality.
- Villars-Tiercelin
- Montaubion-Chardonney
- Sottens
- Villars-Mendraz
- and Peney-le-Jorat together became the new municipality of Jorat-Menthue
Administration, language and daily life
The community was part of the French-speaking cultural area of Vaud; local affairs were handled by a small municipal council responsible for schooling, building permits, road upkeep and other communal services. After the merger many administrative functions were centralised under the council of Jorat-Menthue, while everyday life retained a rural, village-scale rhythm.
Notable points and distinctions
The group of villages in this part of Gros-de-Vaud includes Sottens, known locally for its radio-transmission site and broadcasting history, and the wider Jorat area is appreciated for its recreational woodland and walking routes. The merger reflects a broader Swiss pattern where small communes combine resources to maintain public services and local identity.
Further information
For administrative records and current governance see the former municipal notice and the new municipality page: municipal record, Jorat-Menthue. Additional regional context and cantonal resources can be consulted via Vaud and the district links at Gros-de-Vaud.