# Does anybody live in a house where front and back doors are in different countries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671 "2019-01-30T14:33:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/1 "2019-01-30T14:33:54Z")
The most likely place I can think of is RoI/UK, but could be somewhere else, just curious it there is any private residence in the world where one side is in country X and the other in country Y? due to the ease of travel between N and S Ireland that would be my guess, if anywhere, there were such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![abel29a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@abel29a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel29a)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/2 "2019-01-30T14:48:24Z")
I would imagine the Belgium Netherlands border is rife with examples, particularly the town of [Baarle-Hertog/Barle-Nassau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baarle-Hertog). EDIT: From wiki: “Some houses in the town of Baarle-Hertog/Baarle-Nassau are divided between the two countries. At one time, according to Dutch laws restaurants had to close earlier. For some restaurants on the border, this simply meant that the customers had to move to a table on the Belgian side.” ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/3 "2019-01-30T15:01:34Z")
Yes, many of them. This happens most famously in the US along the Vermont and Quebec border, specifically Upper Derby, VT and Stanstead, QC. Here’s one that the front door is on the American side, but the door on the right side is Canadian. The house is the grey stone one if it doesn’t center it right for you. There’s a little white post in the front yard to the right of the door that marks the border and it basically bisects the house. https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=%213m2%212sen%214v0%216m8%211m7%211s0kQRNCe9hYChT9GTRAYAFg%212m2%211d45.0058875%212d-72.1419424%213f271.27%214f8.423%215f0.75 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/4 "2019-01-30T15:45:23Z")
Another bit about Baarle is that for houses on the border, the owner pays taxes in the country where their front door is. Most such houses have two front doors, one in each country. They board up the door in the country with the higher taxes, but are ready to switch doors if the tax rates change. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/5 "2019-01-30T15:45:46Z")
> [@senoy](#): > > Yes, many of them. This happens most famously in the US along the Vermont and Quebec border, specifically Upper Derby, VT and Stanstead, QC. Here’s one that the front door is on the American side, but the door on the right side is Canadian. The house is the grey stone one if it doesn’t center it right for you. There’s a little white post in the front yard to the right of the door that marks the border and it basically bisects the house. > > [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/@45.0058875,-72.1419424,3a,75y,271.27h,84.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0kQRNCe9hYChT9GTRAYAFg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) It also has the only library in world that operates in two countries. The library isn’t much bigger than a large house and used to have free access to both countries with few rules until 911 and still does to some degree as long as people follow the rules but residents of the U.S. and Canada can use it just by walking in their own door. Once inside, it doesn’t matter what side they are on until they leave. > **[The Only Library in the World that Operates in Two Countries at Once](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-us-canada-border-runs-through-this-tiny-library)** > > One of the only libraries in the world that operates in two countries at once. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/6 "2019-01-30T15:50:39Z")
Estcourt Station, Quebec/Maine has some homes that fall on the border like that. https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.4573243,-69.2260001&z=17&output=embed&dg=ntvb ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/7 "2019-01-30T18:50:16Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > It also has the only library in world that operates in two countries. The library isn’t much bigger than a large house and used to have free access to both countries with few rules until 911 and still does to some degree as long as people follow the rules but residents of the U.S. and Canada can use it just by walking in their own door. Once inside, it doesn’t matter what side they are on until they leave. > > [https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-us-canada-border-runs-through-this-tiny-library](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-us-canada-border-runs-through-this-tiny-library) And to expand a bit beyond this thread, that library has been in the[news](https://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN1NX1P2-OCATP) recently as a place for people to meet their families that are banned from entering the respective countries due to immigration problems. Very interesting, but it really shows how arbitrary laws and borders can be! ---
**Author:** ![LTU2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/22d042/32.png) [@LTU2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LTU2)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/8 "2019-01-30T19:39:21Z")
If you call Texas “A Whole Nother Country” 😉 State Line Avenue, Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas! ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/9 "2019-01-30T22:03:30Z")
> [@senoy](#): > > Yes, many of them. This happens most famously in the US along the Vermont and Quebec border, specifically Upper Derby, VT and Stanstead, QC. Here’s one that the front door is on the American side, but the door on the right side is Canadian. The house is the grey stone one if it doesn’t center it right for you. There’s a little white post in the front yard to the right of the door that marks the border and it basically bisects the house. > > [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/@45.0058875,-72.1419424,3a,75y,271.27h,84.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0kQRNCe9hYChT9GTRAYAFg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) The Quebec town is Derby Line. There is a township called Upper Darby a suburb just west of Philadelphia where I lived for some years. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/10 "2019-01-30T23:22:26Z")
> [@LTU2](#): > > If you call Texas “A Whole Nother Country” 😉 > > State Line Avenue, Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas! Yep. I live close to there. Not sure if any houses actually sit on the stateline. Our property is in 2 counties. I could spit out my back door into the next county. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/11 "2019-01-31T05:15:53Z")
No houses are actually on the state line right around Texarkana, but one of my high school buddies lived on South State Line Avenue. His house was in Arkansas, but his (rural-style) mailbox was in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![LTU2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/22d042/32.png) [@LTU2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LTU2)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/12 "2019-01-31T18:51:12Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Yep. I live close to there. Not sure if any houses actually sit on the stateline. Our property is in 2 counties. I could spit out my back door into the next county. Hey, that’s wild, like in the Twilight zone, step out the door, from one dimension to another. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/13 "2019-01-31T19:06:18Z")
How about a [tavern on the border between Croatia and Slovenia](https://www.cntraveler.com/story/you-can-have-a-beer-while-standing-in-slovenia-and-croatia-at-the-same-time) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/14 "2019-01-31T19:14:19Z")
And a [hotel on the French-Swiss border](https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-07-18/hotel-arbez-lets-you-sleep-in-two-countries-at-once) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/15 "2019-01-31T23:06:03Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > And a [hotel on the French-Swiss border](https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-07-18/hotel-arbez-lets-you-sleep-in-two-countries-at-once) They think of everything: > [@](#): > > The bed in the honeymoon suite is neatly bisected as well, so newlyweds can defect to separate nations if they have a lovers’ quarrel. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/16 "2019-01-31T23:41:43Z")
There’s a house nearby which has the front door and garage door in different counties. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/17 "2019-01-31T23:46:43Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Another bit about Baarle is that for houses on the border, the owner pays taxes in the country where their front door is. Most such houses have two front doors, one in each country. They board up the door in the country with the higher taxes, but are ready to switch doors if the tax rates change. Wow, really? That’s pretty hilarious actually. “Which door are we using this year, honey?” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/18 "2019-02-01T00:01:19Z")
Things sound not as fun if you live on the [wrong](https://www.haaretz.com/1.5164245) [border](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7327866.stm). Good luck trying to get someone to fix your water or electricity, or your mail delivered, if you live on the wrong side of the street. ---
**Author:** ![barath\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@barath\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barath_s)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/19 "2019-02-04T05:13:48Z")
> **[The Building That's In Two Countries At Once](https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/08/09/158375183/the-building-thats-in-two-countries-at-once)** > > Inside a European office building, a metal line divides Germany and the Netherlands — and reveals the limits of the European dream. German Post office and Dutch Post Office ---
**Author:** ![barath\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@barath\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barath_s)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671/20 "2019-02-04T05:30:00Z")
> [@barath\_s](#): > > [The Building That's In Two Countries At Once : Planet Money : NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/08/09/158375183/the-building-thats-in-two-countries-at-once) > > German Post office and Dutch Post Office Correction: The Eurode Business center, a business building that straddles Germany and Holland, but where letter posted takes a week to go to the other side. The wiki page on Hotel Arbez lists most examples already mentioned including the Kalin Restaurant, the Haskell Opera and Free Library > **[Hotel Arbez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Arbez)** > > The Hotel Arbez, also called the Hôtel Arbez Franco-Suisse or l’Arbézie, is a hotel that straddles the international border between France and Switzerland in the tiny village of La Cure, which is itself divided by the boundary. Built by a private landowner and businessman specially to take advantage of an impending border adjustment between the two countries, the structure was originally used as a grocery store (its Swiss portion) and a pub (the French half). Today, the entire building houses a... and Barle Nassau/Barle Hertog with restaurants that shift patrons based on closing timing regulations Farms and business taxed on the front door [https://www.citylab.com/equity/2012/02/most-complicated-border-town-world/1267/](https://www.citylab.com/equity/2012/02/most-complicated-border-town-world/1267/) > **[An Inland Archipelago - Futility Closet](https://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/05/15/an-inland-archipelago/)** > > Through an accident of history, the Belgian town of Baarle-Hertog is located largely inside the Netherlands — it’s made up of 24 separate parcels of land, 20 of which lie inside the Dutch border, enmeshed with the Dutch municipality of Baarle-Nassau.... [http://nowiknow.com/scrambled-city/](http://nowiknow.com/scrambled-city/) The crooked bank that needed 2 country joint investigation force etc [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-live-in-a-house-where-front-and-back-doors-are-in-different-countries/828671.md?page=2)