This Hotel Allows You To Stay In Switzerland & France At The Same Time

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The minute you enter this hotel and check-in, the staff will ask whether you want to sleep in France or Switzerland! Doesn’t this leave you confused, as well as curious about what the matter actually is?

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Check out its bang-on location.

Located in the French village of La Cure, is a small and cosy two-star hotel called Hôtel Arbez Franco-Suisse, which lies bang on the Franco-Swiss border, the international border between France and Switzerland.

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The French side.
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The hotel seen from Switzerland, in March 2012.

The tiny village of La Curefive miles north of Geneva, is itself divided by the international boundary.

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Two countries at a single place.
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At the entrance of the French side.

The hotel also has significant historical importance. A long-time border dispute was settled with the Treaty of Dappes, when Switzerland agreed to cede the Dappes Valley to France in 1863. La Cure became bisected at the border, and a local businessman, M. Ponthus built a bar and grocery store in the prime location. In 1921, Jules-Jean Arbeze bought the land and building from the Ponthus family, and built the Hotel Arbez, as it stands today.

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Their perfectly divided dining room.

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.

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La Cure, the town.

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 and go to France just to pee!

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Even the honeymoon suite is divided.

Interesting, isn’t it? This hotel is surely added to my travel wishlist now!