Aspundir: Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse, Located Half in Switzerland and Half in France

Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse, Located Half in Switzerland and Half in France

The Arbez Hotel is a small two star hotel located in the quite border town of La Cure, five miles north of Geneva. A nice, cozy little place built in the nineteenth century in alpine style with wooden beams and country kitchen, and located a thousand feet above sea level - a popular resting place for cross-country skiers. The hotel looks normal except for one small detail - it is located exactly on the border between France and Switzerland and is probably the only hotel on this planet to do so. The dining room, kitchen, gift shop, hallways and several rooms are crossed by the international border, in a case unique to the world.

The hotel's history dates back to the nineteenth century. In 1862, the Swiss and French Governments agree to a modification of the border in the Valley of the Dappes; the Treaty, named after the Valley, was signed on December 8, 1862, The text of the treaty states that no building existing at the time of ratification will be affected by the modification of the border. Taking advantage of this, a clever businessman, Monsieur Ponthus, built a building in an area of their property which was on both sides of the new border, with the intention of doing cross-border business. The building was put up in record time before the treaty went into effect on February 1863. When the treaty was ratified by the Swiss government, the three-story building was already complete and thus not affected by the new border. Ponthus opened a bar on the French side and a shop in Switzerland. The store was there until 1921 when Jules-Jean Arbeze purchased the building and turned it into Franco-Suisse hotel that stands now.

The line separating France from Switzerland passes through the building. The international boundary runs through the kitchen and continues to the rear of the building, which houses a ski shop. The border also runs through several guest rooms in the hotel. In two of the rooms you can sleep with your head in Switzerland and feet in France. Another room is located in Switzerland but the bathroom is located in France, so it becomes necessary to cross an international border to relieve yourself.

The exceptional location of the hotel has brought a few curious stories. During World War II France was occupied by Nazi Germany, while Switzerland remained neutral. German soldiers could enter the hotel, but only the part located on French soil. To access the upper floors it was necessary to climb the ladder, but the ladder started in Swiss territory. So the upper floors became a refuge for fugitives and the resistance.

In 1962 towards the end of the war of independence of Algeria, when a neutral place was needed to sign the Evian agreements, Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse was chosen for the historic negotiation. A resistance cell was installed on the top floor, dedicated to protecting the threatened and the persecuted.