The Saint-Prex glassworks was founded in 1911 by Henri Cornaz (1869–1948). Originally trained in agriculture and active in cement and construction, Cornaz identified the presence of high-quality sand deposits at Saint-Prex and the proximity of the region’s vineyards, which required glass bottles for wine production. Within the same year, the factory was established as a joint-stock company, with Cornaz holding the majority of shares and local vintners and merchants as co-investors. The first production run took place only months after the founding, focusing on green wine bottles.
The factory’s development required the recruitment of skilled glassblowers, many of whom came from Semsales in the canton of Fribourg. To accommodate them, Cornaz initiated the construction of workers’ housing, beginning with five houses in 1911, followed by additional dwellings and a boarding house for single men in 1916. In 1917 a Catholic church was erected, serving the predominantly Catholic workforce from Fribourg who did not attend the Protestant church of the village.
In 1918, Cornaz commissioned the construction of a large community building on the factory grounds. Initially known as the Salle du peuple and soon renamed the Salle de la paix after the Treaty of Versailles, it was designed to serve multiple functions: a meeting hall, library, rehearsal space for the factory brass band, and a venue for concerts and assemblies.
Salle de la paix - exterior
The decoration of the hall was entrusted to the Lausanne painter Laurent Vanni. In 1918 he created a series of wall paintings with allegorical scenes of different types of work, each accompanied by a short proverb. Among them were depictions of winemaking, metalwork, carpentry, mechanics, harvesting, and glass production. One painting, showing the glassworks was lost during renovations in 1952 when the permanent stage was added.
Salle de la paix and stage
Salle de la paix - view from the stage
wall paintings
wall paintings
In 1985 the hall underwent a complete restoration, during which the damaged ceiling painting was replaced with an copy following water infiltration.
ceiling painting
From 1928 to 1964, the Saint-Prex factory expanded beyond bottle production to include tableware and decorative objects, among them the black glass horses produced around 1939. A museum on the site preserves many of these creations.
In 1966 the factory became part of Vetropack, and in 1972 the company introduced the first nationwide glass recycling program in Switzerland. The Saint-Prex plant remained central to the group’s operations and, into the 21st century, was the country’s last operating glassworks. At its peak it produced up to 800,000 bottles per day and recycled about 100,000 tons of used glass each year.
Despite this importance, financial difficulties led to the closure of the factory on 27 June 2024. At that time it employed around 180 people.
Verrerie - Saint-Prex
