Major Davel memorial (1899), Bourget park

The Major Davel memorial in Parc Bourget, Lausanne, is a granite stele erected in 1899 on the lakeshore in the Vidy district. It stands where Major Jean Daniel Abraham Davel of Vaud was beheaded on 24 April 1723. It is free to visit and takes only a few minutes to see.

Who was Major Davel?

Davel was an officer who tried in 1723 to free the Vaud country from Bernese rule. The plot ended in his arrest, trial and execution. Vaud remembers him as a martyr for liberty and a national hero, and he is the historical figure most often commemorated in Lausanne's public spaces. Do not confuse this memorial with the other well-known Davel monument, the statue by the Château Saint-Maire on Place du Château.

What will you see?

The monument is a slender granite needle almost four metres tall and weighing about seven tonnes. The former commune of Vaugondry donated the block. It rises from a mound ringed by a raised terrace. Bronze letters record that Davel gave his life for his country. The organising committee asked for something plain and austere, so there are no carved figures. Several thousand people attended the unveiling on 23 April 1899. The city refused to pay for setting up the stele; the municipal council later voted a 6,000-franc grant towards the two Davel monuments.

In Davel's time this was a marshy plain used as a dump. The cantonal archaeologist Albert Naef found no bones attributable to Davel; according to the city, the executioner burned his head under the gallows about a year after the execution.

What else is in Parc Bourget?

Parc Louis Bourget lies on Lausanne's western edge between the lake and the woods, at Avenue de Milan. It was laid out between 1915 and 1920 and named after the physician and ornithologist Louis Bourget (1856-1913), who lobbied for a nature reserve. The bird reserve opened in 1941. Facilities include a fitness trail, a large playground, picnic areas, toilets, a shower and a dog-friendly zone. The park holds Lausanne's last riparian forest, with a pond where fireflies appear on summer evenings. It is listed on an international inventory of historic gardens.

How to get there and when to visit

The park is near Place de Milan; check t-l.ch for public transport. The stele is in the northern part of the park. Spring and summer are best, when the beach is in use and picnics are easy. For a symbolic visit, come around 23-24 April, the anniversary of the unveiling and of the execution.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same monument as the one at the castle?

No. The Davel statue on Place du Château dates from 1898. The Parc Bourget memorial is a granite stele from 1899.

Is it Davel's burial place?

It marks the execution site. Archaeological work did not confirm any remains.

Is there an entrance fee?

No, the park and memorial are open to everyone.

What else can I do nearby?

Walk the lakeshore, picnic, use the fitness trail or watch birds in the reserve.