Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, Administrative district in eastern Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine sits where the Valserine and Rhône rivers meet, surrounded by the Retord plateau and Grand Crêt d'Eau mountains that frame the landscape. The town occupies a valley floor with industrial heritage visible throughout its layout.
The area developed as a key transport hub along the Rhône valley during the 1800s. Administrative reorganization occurred when it merged into Valserhône in 2019.
The area maintains international partnerships with Saint-Christophe in Italy's Aosta Valley and Bretten in Germany. These connections shape local identity and encourage regular exchanges between the regions.
The railway station connects travelers to major cities like Paris, Lyon, Geneva, and Chambéry on the Lyon-Geneva line. This key location on a busy rail route makes getting around and exploring the region straightforward.
The Génissiat Dam changed the landscape by raising the Rhône's water level and submerging a natural phenomenon called the Perte du Rhône. This invisible transformation shows how infrastructure reshaped the valley's geography.
Location: Ain
Location: arrondissement of Nantua
Location: Valserhône
Inception: January 1, 1971
Elevation above the sea: 567 m
Shares border with: Billiat, Châtillon-en-Michaille, Collonges, Lancrans, Léaz, Villes, Éloise, Saint-Germain-sur-Rhône, Arlod, Coupy
Website: http://bellegarde01.fr
GPS coordinates: 46.10750,5.82583
Latest update: December 17, 2025 08:13
Perte du Rhône
476 m
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Viaduct
639 m
Pertes de la Valserine
1.8 km
Pont de Grésin
3.7 km
Pont de Savoie
528 m
Viaduc de Bellegarde
815 m
Château de Mussel
1.1 km
Viaduc de la Valserine
377 m
Château de Musinens
979 m
War memorial of Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
106 m
Église Saint-Nicolas d'Arlod
1.6 km
Église Saint-Claude de Vanchy
2.2 km
Église Saint-Amand de Lancrans
2 km
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
136 m
Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Grâces de Lancrans
2 km
Former town hall of Arlod
1.3 km
War memorial of Lancrans
2 km
War memorial of Arlod
1.4 km
War memorial of Vanchy
2.2 km
Église Saint-Vincent d'Éloise
4.1 km
Former town hall of Coupy
529 m
Town hall of Lancrans
2 km
Temple protestant de Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
300 mPerte de la Valserine
1.8 kmScenic viewpoint
1.8 kmScenic viewpoint
2.9 kmThéâtre Jeanne d'Arc
142 mJoseph Marion
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