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Origin and history

The Lion pillar, also known as the Lion Magras or the Three Empires, is a border pillar erected in 1613 in the Jura Massif. It materialized the tripoint between the Kingdom of France, Spain (then owner of Franche-Comté) and the Savoie States. Originally named a pillar of the Cléa (meaning door or passage into a local patois), it symbolized the territorial division after the Treaty of Lyon (1601) and the Treaty of Auxonne (1612), which redefined the borders after the capture of Bugey by France.

The terminal is located at the Col des Magras (1,289 m above sea level), at the limit of the municipalities of La Pesse (Jura), Chézery-Forens and Champfromier (Ain). It also marks the border between the Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions, as well as the arrondissements of Saint-Claude, Gex and Nantua. Accessible since La Pesse, it was listed as a historical monument on 12 January 1926 for its geopolitical importance and its seniority.

This pillar is part of a series of border markings installed in 1613, reflecting the tensions and territorial negotiations of the time. Its name Lion could evoke Savoyard or French coat of arms, although this origin is not explicitly confirmed by the sources. Today, it remains a tangible testimony of the political divisions of 17th century Europe, in a preserved Jurasian landscape.

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