"La Venoge" is a poem written by Jean Villard, proprietor of the cabaret "Chez Gilles", who also wrote the popular song Les trois cloches.
The poem, which is a vibrant and humorous homage to the author's canton, inspired Jacques Brel for his famous song Le Plat Pays (see [1] underneath Quote).
"C'est là que Jacques Brel avait entendu notre homme dire ce poème.
Il avoua à Gilles – qu’il considérait comme son maître – avoir osé écrire «Le Plat Pays» au vu de l’étonnant succès que rencontrait – auprès des Parisiens – cet hymne à une rivière suisse inconnue!"
He confided to Gilles – whom he considered as being his Master – that he got up courage to write «Le Plat Pays» in light of the stunning success with the Parisian audience of this hymn to an unknown Swiss river!