The Werewolves of Val de Travers

During the trials of the witches, Guyetta Bugnon is one of those who admitted of performing witchcraft.  She also admitted that there was one time when she kidnapped children in the form of a wolf and took it to the sabbats to eat.  This confession led to her nickname “The Werewolf of Val de Travers.”  The incident happened on the 8th of July, 1580.

There is a little to no information about the werewolves of Val de Travers, what is known is that Guyetta Bugnon is not alone on that trial.  In Switzerland, most of the wolves’ persecution and hunt happened on the 16th and 17th Century.  On the trial of Guyetta Bugnon in the year 1580 another woman is apprehended for being a lycanthrope.  France Meuron Thevena, is one of the alleged witch that was also executed in Neuchatel during the 1580’s.

During the trial, Guyetta Bugnon confessed in front of the court that one time she was able to kidnap two children in a wolf form.  It is not clear how she was able to transform into a wolf, but it appears that her knowledge of witchcraft was able to grant her the ability to change.    She then allegedly took the children in the sabbat, a ritual performed by witches.

On June 22 of 1590, a man named Michel Jacques also confessed that he was able to change in a form of a wolf for 7-8 times at least.  He said that he would use an ointment given to him by the devil in order to shape shift.  He also said that there were times that he tried to kidnapped children but failed in doing so.