Archives Cantonales Vaudoises

With the conquest of Vaud's independence and the transition to the Helvetic Republic, the country of Vaud was retroceded in 1798 with a large part of its holdings then in Bernese hands. The need to create the"Vaudois Archive" to secure and preserve these important documents, testifying to the administrative functioning and history of the canton, soon became apparent. The first place chosen to house the archives is emblematic: between 1798 and 1955, the Cantonal Archives were housed in the belfry of Lausanne Cathedral. This period was marked by a number of important milestones, such as the drafting of the first regulations for the Vaud Cantonal Archives in 1826, the creation of the first post of State Archivist in 1837 and the opening of the first reading room to the public in 1919. As the number of documents in storage continued to grow, the Archives moved in 1955 to the rue du Maupas in Lausanne (now the site of the Archives of the City of Lausanne). As early as 1890, a building specifically dedicated to the archives was requested, but it was not until 1971 that the cantonal authorities reserved a plot of land in the commune of Chavannes-près-Renens for this purpose. Located in a place called"La Moulin", which takes its name from the nearby mill, it is a stone's throw from the Dorigny university site, which was then under construction. After the Grand Council granted two successive credits for the construction, the ACV moved in on 15 April 1985.  

Documents digitised by the ACV (maps, cadastral plans, certain series of photographs, etc.) can be obtained using the appropriate form, Order of archive reproductions to be downloaded, filled in and returned by e-mail to info.acv[at]vd.ch. Please take note of the conditions for the use of the reproductions, which accompany the form. Reproductions are made by the staff of the Cantonal Archives in the order in which they are ordered. Please note: delicate documents are not photocopied: it is possible to have them photographed by an approved photographer. A colour copy of the coat of arms deposited in the Vaud Cantonal Archives can be obtained. For reproductions made on the same day, payment must be made on receipt, at the time of delivery. In the case of shipping, the reproductions are to be paid in advance, on the basis of the estimate established at the time of ordering. [Read more...](https://www.vd.ch/themes/etat-droit-finances/archives-cantonales/recherches-et-consultation/consultation-des-archives#c2074726) 

Find info on all public fonds [here](https://www.vd.ch/themes/etat-droit-finances/archives-cantonales/fonds-et-collections/fonds-recemment-mis-a-disposition-du-public) and a classification plan [here](https://www.vd.ch/themes/etat-droit-finances/archives-cantonales/fonds-et-collections). 

The Vaud Cantonal Archives work with many other heritage institutions in order to bring their work forces together, to enhance the value of their documentary resources and to decompartmentalise their fields of expertise. It is a member or initiator of several networks and associations. 

The documents held by the Vaud Cantonal Archives can be consulted freely. However, according to the Law on Archiving, if less than 30 years have elapsed since the closure of the case concerned or if they contain sensitive personal data concerning persons who are living or who died less than 10 years ago, an authorisation for consultation is required. The records of the archives in the DAVEL database contain an area with details of the conditions of access to the archives described.