Have you ever wanted to be in two places at once? At the Hotel Arbez in the tiny village of La Cure, you can do just that. This unique hotel straddles the border between France and Switzerland, offering a stay that is truly one of a kind.
A House Divided
From the outside,
the Hotel Arbez looks like a quaint, unassuming chalet nestled in the Jura Mountains. But a closer look reveals its extraordinary secret. The international border between France and Switzerland runs directly through the property. The division isn’t just a novelty; it dictates the very layout of the hotel. A painted line on the floor of the dining room and café shows guests exactly where France ends and Switzerland begins. You can have your coffee in France and read a Swiss newspaper just a few feet away without ever leaving your seat. This geographical quirk extends to the guest rooms, the kitchen, and even the staircase, making every corner of the hotel a potential border crossing.
A Clever Plan in History
The hotel's story begins not with an innkeeper, but with a clever entrepreneur and a treaty. In 1862, the French and Swiss governments signed the Treaty of Dappes to adjust the border in the Dappes Valley. A local French businessman named Ponthus got wind of the new demarcation line before it was ratified. He realised the new border would cut directly through a plot of land he owned. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly constructed a three-story building on the site. His logic was sound: once a building was standing, neither country could claim the entire structure. The treaty stated that no building existing at the time of ratification would be affected by the new border. Ponthus opened a cross-border grocery shop and a pub, and in 1921, Jules-Jean Arbez bought the property and turned it into the hotel it is today.
Sleeping Across Nations
The most sought-after room is, naturally, the one that best embodies the hotel's spirit. In one of the apartments, the border splits the room in two. The bed itself is positioned directly on the line, meaning one person can sleep in Switzerland while their partner slumbers in France. The novelty extends to the bathroom, which is located entirely in France. This means a guest waking up in the Swiss half of the bed must make an international journey, albeit a very short one, just to brush their teeth. Another room has the entire bed in Switzerland, but the bathroom is in France. The hotel fully leans into its divided identity, celebrating the unique experience it offers to curious travellers from around the world.
A Haven in Times of Conflict
The hotel’s unique geography gave it a significant role during World War II. When Germany occupied France, the entire ground floor of the hotel was under Nazi control. However, the staircase to the upper floors started in France but ended in the neutral territory of Switzerland. This architectural feature turned the hotel into a crucial escape route. The owner at the time, Max Arbez, allowed Allied pilots, refugees, and members of the French Resistance to use the hotel as a safe house. They could enter through the French front door, walk upstairs, and find safety in the Swiss portion of the hotel, beyond any reach of German soldiers downstairs.
Navigating Two Realities
Running a business in two countries simultaneously comes with its share of logistical puzzles. The Hotel Arbez has two postal addresses, one in France and one in Switzerland, and two phone numbers. Tax regulations are similarly complex. The hotel pays value-added tax to Switzerland for goods sold on its Swiss side and to France for sales on its French side. The cuisine itself is a fusion, blending many rich flavours of French gastronomy with hearty Swiss mountain fare. This blending of cultures is at heart of its charm. It serves as daily reminder that borders can also be places for meeting and shared experience.
