About

C H Â T E L ‘ S History

Châtel is a cluster of houses situated 740 meters above Lake Geneva with less 100 inhabitants. Two of these houses overlooking the French and Swiss Alps belong to Youth With A Mission..

In 1910 Jacques Rossier moved to Châtel. He bought ‘­­Les Sapins’ and‘Les Charmilles’, the names given to the two large houses which now belong to YWAM.  M. Rossier came from a traditional Protestant background and for a time had been a pastor of an Evangelical Church. He quickly established the ‘Rossier Association’ which was characterised by a community lifestyle. The Association accrued farms and houses over the years and became very well known and highly regarded in the area.

M. Rossier established a school in ‘Les Sapins’ and children from as far away as Paris attended. It had a good reputation academically and concerts were held here. Unfortunately over the years he started to become authoritarian and preached that here would be the new Jerusalem. As a result, the people had to take a vow of celibacy and were not allowed to leave the association. Following M. Rossier’s death, people from outside came to help with administration of the properties, but due to the way the Association’s affairs were handled many of the houses and farms had to be sold. Eventually all that was left were two houses in Bugnaux (a small village 2 km down the hill from Châtel) plus ‘Les Sapins’ and ‘Les Charmilles’.

In the mid 1980s a family from YWAM Burtigny made contact with people from the ‘Rossier Association’. At that time the Association consisted of 7 women and 1 man - all in their 80ies. The family started to live with them and care for the members in their old age. 1987 the buildings were given to YWAM by the ‘Rossier Association’.  Three families from YWAM Burtigny moved into ‘Les Sapins’ and ‘Les Charmilles’ and began a rehabilitation program which has become recognised by the Swiss Social Services. Over the years many people have been ministered to through this very effective ministry. A big renovation programme commenced - with the help of a large mortgage - to reconstruct the two houses and to convert the barn into a meeting room and living accommodations.

Unified by a love for the Earth and the people who live in it.

Eu alia civibus imperdiet eos. Id eos blandit apeirian interpretaris. Quas consulatu pri ex. Iudico prompta ne vix, usu ne vero persius quaerendum, et ius autem sanctus. Ius no libris constituto, soleat praesent nec ex. Movet alterum ullamcorper sit ei, ne sit appetere forensibus, eam at facilisi inimicus.