The Gauls used to name their villages after the rivers that watered them. In the Nyon region, they found the water so clear that they named their village "la pure", Glana in Celtic. This became Glannis under the Romans, Glanez and then, as a result of successive spelling errors, finally Gland, leading to confusion with the fruit of the oak tree, which appears on the commune's coat of arms. The famous watercourse is undoubtedly the Dullive, the most important of the small tributaries of Lake Geneva, which the ancients venerated to the point of setting up a necropolis at its mouth. It's also the name given to this charming house set in two hectares of lush vegetation, where a forest also grows.
What's so special about this plot? 250 meters of lakefront and 150 meters of riverfront in a protected area.
Solitary antique dealer
Built around 1850, the building originally housed an inn. It was then sold to a Geneva family, who turned it into what the world then called a "campagne", a holiday resort for taking a break from the cities. In the 1930s, it was bought by an antique dealer who divides his time between Monaco, Paris and Geneva. The man lives there, alone, two or three months a year, surrounded by beautiful objects. He is considered an eccentric. At a time when fortunes are supposed to be made by adding a château to their estate, living like this on the water's edge is a challenge. In 1959, the father of the current owners inherited the property. La Dullive became the family's vacation home for over sixty years. The family was determined to preserve the building's 19th-century character. To step inside is to be transported back in time, to the days when ladies in booties would step out into the garden with their parasols to face the first rays of spring.
Between two waters
The other assets of this charming 7-room house on two levels with two bathrooms, an office, a living room and a dining room? It's located right between Geneva and Lausanne, twenty minutes from Cointrin airport via the freeway. It's also ideally situated close to the prestigious Institut Le Rosey and the Domaine Impérial Golf Club. It boasts a wonderfully romantic bathing cabin where you can enjoy breakfast while watching the sun rise. Its boathouse can accommodate three boats, one of which can be dry-docked. Its former stables can be converted into a guest house. And of course, its vast grounds with 250 meters of lakefront and 150 meters of riverfront. This makes La Duville a sort of peninsula, sheltered from prestigious neighbors - including a famous world rally champion - but also from the public. As the flora and fauna of this nature reserve need to be protected, it was decided to keep them away from walkers.
La Dullive boasts a spectacular, unobstructed site with a breathtaking view of Lake Geneva.
And for those who don't care for old stones, there's something even more exceptional. The owners have obtained permission to build a villa on this plot, in place of the house, with a living area of around 1,000 square metres. An unprecedented situation, almost unique in this region, where the already very strict federal law on land use planning is set to become even stricter. The perfect opportunity to build the estate of your dreams on this pearl of a lake.
For more information about this property, please contact Amélie Woitrin +41 79 583 04 68 or at amelie.woitrin@spgone.ch
Editor : Emmanuel Grandjean - March 2024
