Épendes (French: [epɑ̃d]; Arpitan: Ependes, locally Èpindè[3] [ɛˈpɛ̃dɛ] ⓘ) is a former municipality in the district of Sarine in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.

[6] Épendes had an area, as of 2009[update], of 5.6 square kilometers (2.2 sq mi).

Of the rest of the land, 0.58 km2 (0.22 sq mi) or 10.3% is settled (buildings or roads).

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Azure on a chief Or a Cross pattee couped of the first and overall in bend a lance Argent with a Flag Gules.

[10] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks French (907 or 87.7%) as their first language, German is the second most common (96 or 9.3%) and Portuguese is the third (5 or 0.5%).

[10] The historical population is given in the following chart:[6][14] In the 2011 federal election the most popular party was the SPS which received 26.9% of the vote.

[10] There were 520 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 42.1% of the workforce.

The number of jobs in the primary sector was 35, of which 32 were in agriculture and 3 were in forestry or lumber production.

In the tertiary sector; 21 or 36.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 3 or 5.2% were in the movement and storage of goods, 2 or 3.4% were in a hotel or restaurant, 1 was in the information industry, 1 was the insurance or financial industry, 3 or 5.2% were technical professionals or scientists, 9 or 15.5% were in education and 7 or 12.1% were in health care.

[10] From the 2000 census[update], 868 or 83.9% were Roman Catholic, while 59 or 5.7% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.

This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude.

The upper Secondary school is divided into gymnasium (university preparatory) and vocational programs.

After they finish the upper Secondary program, students may choose to attend a Tertiary school or continue their apprenticeship.

[19] During the 2010–11 school year, there were a total of 153 students attending 7 classes in Épendes.