Sarreyer

At the height of the summer, the village streets experience a Mediterranean type of heat. At the edge of the village in the direction of the well-named Route of the Sun, a milI performs several functions using only the power of the nearby mountain stream to operate a sawmill, a fruit press and grain milI: this facility is known as the Sarreyer Sawmill and Grain MilI.

Sarreyer is also an ISOS villige, listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of National Importance.

Originally dedicated to farming and cattle breeding, the village occupies a slightly sloping intermediate terrace. Its concentrated structure and dense fabric which predominantly feature log builds burnt by the sun give it an almost insular image. The site benefits from an exceptional landscape, linked to the presence of a crown of fields and meadows largely surrounded by the forest.

The historical agglomeration stands out by its density; this can be explained to a great extent by a need for protection from the elements, as well as a desire to economise on valuable farming land.

The vast majority of the buildings are constructed from logs, on masonry bases. Their gables almost all face the valley and the sun. The covers, originally all built from stone slabs, are more and more often replaced by slate and recently by asbestos and corrugated metal sheeting.

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