This Hotel Lets You Sleep In France And Switzerland At The Same Time

Most of us only think about borders when we are about to cross one. And there is usually a road sign, a checkpoint or at least some kind of indication that you have entered a different country. But at one small hotel in the Jura Mountains, things work a little differently. You could walk across an international border on your way to breakfast, climb a staircase that connects two countries, or spend the night with a national boundary running through your room. That's everyday life at Hotel Arbez, a family-run hotel in the village of La Cure, where France and Switzerland meet.

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A Hotel Shared By Two Countries

Photo: MySwitzerland.Com

From the outside, Hotel Arbez looks much like any other mountain hotel in the region. Inside, however, a few steps can take you from France into Switzerland.

The border runs directly through parts of the building, including the dining area, staircase and several guest rooms. In some rooms, it even passes through the bed, allowing guests to quite literally sleep in two countries at the same time.

One of the reasons the hotel has become famous is this unusual arrangement. Depending on where you are standing, sitting or sleeping, you may find yourself on either side of the French-Swiss border without ever leaving the building.

The hotel has around 10 rooms and a restaurant that draws inspiration from both French and Swiss mountain traditions. While many visitors come for the novelty factor, the property remains a functioning alpine hotel rather than a tourist attraction built around a gimmick.

How Did This Happen?

The story begins in the 1860s, when France and Switzerland agreed to redraw part of their shared border under the Treaty of Dappes.

Before the agreement officially came into force, a local businessman named Ponthus built a structure across the planned boundary line. Because existing properties were allowed to remain after the border changed, the building stayed exactly where it was.

Ponthus reportedly made the most of the situation, operating a shop on one side and a bar on the other. Decades later, the property was converted into a hotel by Jules-Joseph Arbez, whose family name remains attached to it today.

Photo: Reddit

What began as a clever response to a border change eventually became one of Europe's most unusual hotels.

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Hotel Arbez sits in La Cure, a village that itself is divided between France and Switzerland. The surrounding Jura Mountains attract hikers in summer and winter sports enthusiasts when the snow arrives, making the hotel a convenient base for exploring the region.

Over the years, the property has also picked up a few unusual stories of its own. In 1958, Max Arbez, a member of the family that ran the hotel, even proclaimed the micronation of Arbezie, a tongue-in-cheek addition to the building's already unique identity.

For most visitors, though, the appeal is much simpler. How often do you get the chance to walk from one country to another without opening a door?