Gex, Ain
Encyclopedia
Gex is a commune
in the Ain
department in eastern France
.
It lies 5 km (3.1 mi) from the Swiss
border and 16 km (9.9 mi) from Geneva
. It is a sous-préfecture
of Ain.
and the Duchy of Savoy
.
With the 1815 Protocol of the Conference of Paris, (signed on 20 November) and the Treaty of Paris
of the same date, Gex was placed in the Customs region of Switzerland and neutralised. The resolutions regarding the Pays de Gex were annulled by Art 435 of the Treaty of Versailles
. In November 1923 France moved its customs office to Gex, and the matter was brought before the Permanent Court of International Justice
(predecessor of the International Court of Justice
), which decided in favour of Switzerland. A compromise was reached in 1932.
Historically, citizens spoke a dialect of the Franco-Provençal language
.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Ain
Ain
Ain is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation...
department in eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It lies 5 km (3.1 mi) from the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
border and 16 km (9.9 mi) from Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. It is a sous-préfecture
Sous-préfecture
Subprefectures are the administrative towns of arrondissements in France that do not contain the prefecture for its department. Subprefecture is also the name given to the building which houses the administrative headquarters for the arrondissement....
of Ain.
History
The town gave its name to the Pays de Gex, at various times under the jurisdiction of France, SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and the Duchy of Savoy
Duchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
.
With the 1815 Protocol of the Conference of Paris, (signed on 20 November) and the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1815)
Treaty of Paris of 1815, was signed on 20 November 1815 following the defeat and second abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte. In February, Napoleon had escaped from his exile on Elba; he entered Paris on 20 March, beginning the Hundred Days of his restored rule. Four days after France's defeat in the...
of the same date, Gex was placed in the Customs region of Switzerland and neutralised. The resolutions regarding the Pays de Gex were annulled by Art 435 of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. In November 1923 France moved its customs office to Gex, and the matter was brought before the Permanent Court of International Justice
Permanent Court of International Justice
The Permanent Court of International Justice, often called the World Court, was an international court attached to the League of Nations. Created in 1922 , the Court was initially met with a good reaction from states and academics alike, with many cases submitted to it for its first decade of...
(predecessor of the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
), which decided in favour of Switzerland. A compromise was reached in 1932.
Historically, citizens spoke a dialect of the Franco-Provençal language
Franco-Provençal language
Franco-Provençal , Arpitan, or Romand is a Romance language with several distinct dialects that form a linguistic sub-group separate from Langue d'Oïl and Langue d'Oc. The name Franco-Provençal was given to the language by G.I...
.