▁They ▁abandoned ▁their ▁homes ▁completely ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁sett ling ▁among ▁the ▁Sant ones ▁( S ain ton ge ). ▁The ▁easiest ▁route ▁would ▁take ▁them ▁through ▁the ▁Rh ône ▁valley , ▁and ▁thus ▁through ▁the ▁Roman ▁Provin cia ▁Nar bon ensis . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Sa ône ▁ ▁When ▁they ▁reached ▁the ▁boundaries ▁of ▁the ▁Al lob ro ges , ▁the ▁northern most ▁tribe ▁of ▁the ▁Provin cia , ▁they ▁found ▁that ▁Ca esar ▁had ▁already ▁dis m ant led ▁the ▁bridge ▁of ▁Gene va ▁to ▁stop ▁their ▁advance . ▁The ▁Hel vet ians ▁sent ▁“ the ▁most ▁ill ust ri ous ▁men ▁of ▁their ▁state ” ▁to ▁negoti ate , ▁prom ising ▁a ▁peace ful ▁passage ▁through ▁the ▁Provin cia . ▁Ca esar ▁st alled ▁them ▁by ▁asking ▁for ▁some ▁time ▁for ▁consideration , ▁which ▁he ▁used ▁to ▁assemble ▁rein for c ements ▁and ▁to ▁fort ify ▁the ▁southern ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ône . ▁When ▁the ▁emb ass y ▁returned ▁on ▁the ▁agreed - up on ▁date , ▁he ▁was ▁strong ▁enough ▁to ▁bl unt ly ▁reject ▁their ▁offer . ▁The ▁Hel vet ii ▁now ▁chose ▁the ▁more ▁difficult ▁northern ▁route ▁through ▁the ▁Se qu ani ▁territory , ▁which ▁travers ed ▁the ▁J ura ▁Mountains ▁via ▁a ▁very ▁narrow ▁pass ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁Fort ▁l ' É cl use , ▁but ▁by pass ed ▁the ▁Provin cia . ▁After ▁rav aging ▁the ▁lands ▁of ▁the ▁A ed ui ▁tribe , ▁who ▁called ▁upon ▁Ca esar