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.
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