 Poster: A snowHead
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What's the best option for hiring a car from Geneva Airport to get to Bourg St Maurice, would it be to go from the French side which is cheaper or from the Swiss side? Is it just as easy to get out from either way or is there a more preferable option?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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pika1971, I think the Swiss side is the better option. Getting to and from the airport via the Swiss side is considerably more straightforward than the French side. Cars from the Swiss side, in my experience, always come with winter tyres and (nearly always) come with chains regardless of whether you pay extra for these items. I don't pay the supplements for winter equipment and my cars have always been winterised.
Try this link for discounted prices.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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rob@rar wrote:
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Try this link for discounted prices.
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If you're a member of the Quidco cashback cooperative (see www.quidco.com for details), you can also get a £10 rebate per booking for Holiday Autos and it's possible to combine this with the VirginOne 15% discount link. Just type the VirginOne affiliate link into the address bar after entering the Holiday Autos site through the link on the Quidco site. You need to log in to Quidco first and it's also wise to clear your cookies before the transaction.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just to add, I have hired a car on the French side of Geneva, just because it was considerably cheaper.
The disadvantage is that to get to the French car hire desks you have to enter the French side of the airport after having cleared Swiss customs (it involves a ride in a lift to a different level, passport control and a bit of walking, right past the Swiss car hire desks IIRC), then on leaving the airport site you use an access road that delivers you onto French soil near Ferney-Voltaire, you must then re-enter Switzerland and cross Geneva (if you're heading to French resorts south of Geneva) via the lakeside and City Centre (nice views and little traffic early on a Saturday in March when we tried it). You can't use the Swiss motorway directly outside the airport that bypasses Geneva as French hire cars don't have the Swiss "vignette" windscreen tax sticker (I suppose you could buy one but this would negate the savings of renting on the French side).
So, you need to weigh up the savings (IMHO £20 wouldn't be worth it, but £50 might be) versus the disadvantages mentioned here (and in previous posts, the lack of winter equipment could prove decisive) and make your choice accordingly. Hope this helps.
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luigi, you don't have to clear Swiss customs to enter the French sector, just as you reach the Swiss passport control, turn left and follow the signs for the French sector. You clear passport control in the French sector which is quieter and much faster than the Swss side. Swissport will even collect your baggage and deliver it to you while you have a coffee. You also don't have to cross Swiss territory at all, from Ferney Voltaire you can stay in France all the way to BSM. BTW check-in at the French sector is faster as well, we've started to use the French sector this year as the Swiss authorities have imposed some serious restrictions on mini-buses at Geneva airport. IMO the lack of winter tyres isn't a problem if you're only going to BSM, the roads through Annecy and Albertville have never seen a large amount of snow and and in our experience they're always clear. You'll only need winter tyres if you're going past BSM to a mountain resort.
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I'd support the view that the Swiss side is worth paying for - route finding is much easier and you get snow chains thrown in. If you hire from the French side then you really should pay the extra for the snow chains - in which case you may as well have gone swiss in the first place. We once got the cheaper deal in France, did not get chains ("Chamonix is only at 1000m, it's a good road") - won't be making that mistake again...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| luigi wrote: |
If you're a member of the Quidco cashback cooperative (see www.quidco.com for details), you can also get a £10 rebate per booking for Holiday Autos |
Brilliant! That could save up to £100 during the winter. Thanks for the tip 
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Posted a similar thread on here and while ago, and thought I'd post a summary of the comments, but the people above pretty much have it covered.
France is cheaper but can be a nightmare to navigate in and out of that side of the airport (because you don't have the swiss car tax thing).
Snow chains are a legal requirement in Switzerland, so hire cars come with them already, in France they are a pricey extra.
I went with Holiday Autos, hiring from the Swiss side - mainly because i'm only going for a long weekend and every minute spent faffing around getting out of the french side of geneva airport is a minute less that i can be skiing!
I used the 20% discount code thing and got a pretty good price. Wasn't aware of the quidco thing 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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David@traxvax wrote:
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you don't have to clear Swiss customs to enter the French sector
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I stand corrected, we must have got lost in the maze not having done it before, sounds like you've got it sussed though.
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You also don't have to cross Swiss territory at all
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Point taken, but we were headed up the Autoroute Blanche towards Chamonix, so the route that avoids Swiss soil is around 50km longer than crossing Geneva. I suppose if you're heading due south towards Annecy and all points beyond, there's less difference and you can avoid the traffic you might encounter around the city.
Or just get a Swiss car and shoot off down the motorway!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hello snowheads,
I just booked a car hire for Geneva airport (Swiss side) for the first week of February to go to Les Arcs. I used http://www.amigoautos.com/ as a broker, which seemed to be the cheapest option for the configuration we required (an estate compact car, e.g. a Ford Focus estate), and we got Sixt as the actual provider. I also tried the recommended holidayautos link but unfortunately for this particular week it's far from the cheapest.
My question is about winter tyres and snow-chains: as recommended in several threads here in these forums, I didn't pre-booked any of these items. Trying to avoid to pay for it, what I'm supposed to do ?
Just go the desk pick the keys and hope the car is equipped with it ?
Or should I mention it to the guys in the desk ? In this case, am I close to be asked to pay for it ?
As this is my first time  , could you give me any tips on that ?
Regards
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Carlos_L, As i understand it, winter tyres/ snow chains are a legal requirement in Switzerland so will be in all hire cars hired from the swiss side.
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You know it makes sense.
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I hire cars from the Swiss side of Geneva quite a lot. I never pay extra for winter equipment. Every car I've hired has come with winter tyres, and every car except one has come with chains (and on that occasion I'm sure if I'd gone to the office in the garage and asked they would have given me a set). Don't think it is worth mentioning it at the desk when you collect the keys.
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FAQ
However, this season I am hiring from Swiss side after recommendations from many 
