Bellegarde-sur-Valserine

Bellegarde, an industrial city, appeared during the 19th century as a result of the financial opportunism of Swiss and “foreign” investors. Its proximity to Switzerland, the tax advantages, the new techniques to use hydraulic power and later hydroelectric power attracted a multitude of small factories operating in various industrial fields. The architectural diversity of the town’s public and private buildings are testaments to these social and economic changes, which contributed and still contribute today to shaping the particular appearance of this ever-evolving town. (PNRHJ - Un tour en ville, “A tour of the town”)