Doyen Bridel

Who was Doyen Bridel?

Philippe-Sirice Bridel, known as le Doyen Bridel was a man of letters, advocate of Swiss folklore, active during the development of Swiss national identity.

Bridel served as a pastor at Basle, Château-d'Oex and Montreux. He began writing poetry in 1782 and is considered the earliest Vaudois poet. He is known for his work on Swiss history and linguistics, specifically for his glossary of the patois of French-speaking Switzerland, published posthumously in 1866.