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Moillesulaz

Canton of Geneva · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Thônex has 17'060 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Part of the municipality of Thônex
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Moillesulaz

The name reportedly refers to a wet place that could only be crossed by getting one's shoes wet: « moille » would come from mouiller (to wet) and « solar » or « soular » would be the dialect form of soulier (shoe). This explanation dates from 1898. Another hypothesis sees in it a ford over the Foron. The place is said to be recorded as « Molliez solaz » in the 13th century, then « Moillesole » in 1409. On the other side of the border the same name is spelt « Moëllesulaz ».[7][8]

Founding of Moillesulaz

The district owes its growth to transit traffic, heavy from the 18th century onwards, which stretched it into a street village. It belongs to the municipality of Thônex and touches the French border, facing Gaillard (Haute-Savoie). Since 1816 the Foron has separated the Genevan part from the Savoyard part, spelt « Moëllesulaz ». The Moillesulaz customs post and the terminus of the Genevan tram, extended to Annemasse, mark the place. Its beginnings remain obscure.[1][2][3][5][7][8]

History of Moillesulaz

13th century. The place reportedly already appears, in the form « Molliez solaz ».[8]

18th century. Heavy transit traffic leads to the growth of Moillesulaz.[1]

1816. The Treaty of Turin joins Thônex to Geneva, without the lands on the left bank of the Foron. Since then the stream has separated Genevan Moillesulaz from the Moëllesulaz of Gaillard.[1][7][8]

1916. The Council of State gives the name rue de Genève to the old route de Bonneville, which runs from the Seymaz bridge to the Moillesulaz customs post.[6]

1958. The old tram that crossed the border towards Annemasse is dismantled.[2]

2019. On 15 December the tram extension from Moillesulaz across the border to Annemasse enters service.[3]

Historic sites in Moillesulaz

Moillesulaz customs post. Customs post on the road between Thônex and Gaillard (Haute-Savoie), on the French-Swiss border, at the end of the rue de Genève.[2][5][6]

Foron bridge. The border runs across the bridge over the Foron. An old postcard shows tram 12 there crossing the customs line, marked by metal studs set across the road.[7]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Thônex » (Dominique Zumkeller), version du 19.02.2014
  2. Marie Prieur, « Le tram renoue le lien entre Genève et Annemasse », Radio Lac, 09.10.2018
  3. Metro Report International (Railway Gazette), « Genève tram network crosses the border into France », 19.12.2019
  4. Office cantonal de la statistique (OCSTAT), Mémento statistique du canton de Genève 2026, tableau Population résidante par commune, en 2025
  5. geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (Moillesulaz, Thônex, coordonnées)
  6. État de Genève, Noms géographiques du canton de Genève, « Rue de Genève »
  7. La Salévienne (société d'histoire régionale), photothèque, « Douane de Moellesulaz/Moillesulaz » (carte postale, collection G. Lepère)
  8. bus-tram-geneve.ch, « Pourquoi écrit-on « Moillesulaz » à Genève et « Moëllesulaz » en France voisine ? »

Other villages near Moillesulaz

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