Saxel village

SAXEL derives from the Latin word "saxum" which means rock. The name of the vilage makes a reference to this rocky mound on which the church was built.
It is difficult to date the birth of the municipality. Because of its situation on a collar which opens towards Bas-Chablais, the place was doubtless inhabited very early. In 1339, the investigation of the papal commissioners teaches us that the parish of Saxel (the notion of municipality did not still exist) includes 31 fires, what corresponds approximately to 160 inhabitants, and that it depends on the abbey of Aulps (a hamlet, the Meadow of Aulph, calls back the memory).
In 1365, during an exchange crossed between the count of Savoie Amédée VI and the abbot of Aulps, to settle the conflicts which brought into conflict them, the parish joins the house of Savoie.
In 1407, Amédée VIII grants the seigneury of Saxel to Pierre de Ballaison.
By 1540, it passes to Charles de Choley, then in 17th century, to Claude de Varax de Neuvecelle, the grandson of which sells it to Noble Jacques-François Rebut, fiscal prosecutor of the Chablais who, being also a senator of the Senate of Savoie(Savoy), obtained, as such, the right to acquire noble fiefs without being ennobled. His brother Antoine succeeds him and, as treasurer of the duchy of Savoie(Savoy), receives franchise taxes of nobility which authorize him to bear the name of Saxel.
During the history, the municipality of Saxel was shaken between the administrative districts. It was a member of the canton of Bons from 1792 till 1798, of that of Thonon from 1798 till 1816, again the canton of Bons from 1816 till 1818 and that of Douvaine from1818 tillthe Annexation. It belongs since 1860 to the canton of Boëge. During the Annexation, sacellans signed a petition, appeared in the newspaper of Geneva of February 3rd, 1860, asking for the fastening with Switzerland. From 2015, it belong to the canton of Sciez.

THE ECONOMY: the agriculture and especially the fores tsexploitation made live Sacellans of formerly. The breeding was prosperous and of any times, Saxel counted numerous lumberjacks and dockers. They worked in well organized teams and traded as much with Bas-Chablais as with valley of Boëge. Thanks to the consequent income pulled the exploitation of forests, the Sacellans had very few local taxes.
Till the end of the 19th century, the craft activities were numerous. Saxel possessed manufacturers of wax candles of beeswax, clog makers, repairers of rush seats of chairs, weavers, spinners.
In the first half of the 20th century, there were still masons, joiners-carpenters, manufacturers of baskets, seilles and of pockets. Until 1950, we made rakes and wooden forks in the hamlet of Challande. The production was sold on the market of Boëge, as well as to the hardware dealers of Vouchers and Boëge.
THE CHURCH:
The current church, dedicated to Saint Marie-Madeleine, was built by 1836. Of Romanic style, it possesses a trilobée shape which gives it an original aspect. During the restoration of the church, from 1952 till 1954, the interior design, completely redone, is entrusted to the sculptor Jean Constant Demaison ( 1911-1999 ). He realized a set of including sculptures:
- The high altar, the foot of which, sculptured in the barrel of an oak, represents the Christ surrounded with his 12 apostles
- A crucifix supporting life-size Christ
- An altar of the Virgin
- The Way of the Cross
- A side door representing saint François's mission of Dirty in Chablais
- And another side door representing the legend of the " twisted neck ".
The inside of the building is sober and bright.