Clavaleyres is now part of the municipality of Murten FR. This is the end of a long-term process that – unlike, for example, Moutier’s planned move from the canton of Bern to the canton of Jura – did not cause any major waves.
The hamlet of Clavaleyres lies above Lake Murten. It belonged to the canton of Bern for around 500 years, with a brief interruption after the French invaded around 1800.
Napoleon had added the two places Münchenwiler and Clavaleyres together with the surrounding Murten region to the canton of Friborg. But as early as 1807, the two communities were reintegrated into the canton of Bern.
As a Bernese exclave with borders with the cantons of Friborg and Vaud, Clavaleyres has struggled with various problems in recent years. Like other small communities, Clavaleyres found it increasingly difficult to fulfill the tasks of a community from fire brigade to social service to school lessons.
The attempt to merge with Münchenwiler failed twice. On the other hand, the talks with the city of Murten were successful.
In autumn 2018, the voters of Clavaleyres voted in favor of moving to the canton of Friborg. In February 2020, the sovereign of the cantons of Bern and Friborg also said yes to the project. The Federal Assembly approved the project in December 2020.