An invisible border runs through the Arbez Hotel, allowing guests to sleep with their heads in France but their feet in Switzerland.
Located about 45 km from Lake Geneva, in the Jura Mountains, lies La Cure – a village with a unique geographical position, with one-third of its area situated in Switzerland and the rest in France.
Today, the international border divides at least four buildings in the village, leaving the structures half French and half Swiss. The Arbez Hotel (also known as Hôtel Arbez Franco-Suisse) is one of those four buildings, where the dining room and living rooms are separated by an invisible boundary.
When France and Switzerland signed the Treaty of Dappes in 1862 to redefine their border, the new border happened to run straight through a field owned by a local man named Alphonse Ponthus. He built a shop across the border, allowing him to do business in both countries simultaneously. He opened a bar on the French side and a restaurant on the Swiss side. In 1921, businessman Jules Joseph Arbez bought the land and transformed it into a hotel. The hotel now has both French and Swiss addresses.
On the French side, the Arbez Hotel is located on Rue de la Frontera in La Cure, while on the Swiss side, it sits on Route de France in Cure. The hotel is still run by the Arbez family today. To capitalize on its cross-border location, the hotel's restaurant serves both French and Swiss cuisine.
An invisible international border runs through the building, meaning visitors can experience two parallel worlds simultaneously: sleeping with their head resting on French soil and their feet on Swiss soil.
During World War II, the hotel hosted Nazi German troops—who were allowed to operate on the French side—and French resistance forces—who were stationed on the Swiss side.
The hotel's unique location became a safe haven for those fleeing the Nazis during World War II. When German soldiers arrived at the hotel to hunt down resistance fighters, they could only stand on French territory but could not cross into Swiss territory to arrest anyone.
Today, the hotel is an ideal stopover for ski enthusiasts and explorers who want to experience the majestic Alps. A double room starts at $200 per night, with a minimum booking of three nights.
The hotel has an overall rating of 4.3/5 stars based on nearly 1,000 Google reviews. "This place is beautiful. However, the Swiss side has a bit noisy streets; if possible, book a room on the French side," one traveler commented.
The Arbez Hotel isn't the only nearby location where travelers can easily pass through various countries. Located in the Alsace region of northeastern France, Basel Mulhouse Freiburg Airport serves travelers to and from the nearby cities of Basel (Switzerland), Mulhouse (France), and Freiburg (Germany). The airport is divided into two areas, with French and Swiss customs officers working together. The airport is jointly operated by France and Switzerland, with a management team of 16 people (8 from each country) and two German advisors.