![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Poster: A snowHead
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Looking at car hire end on Feb ..Swiss side £445 French side £165
Think i would have to go the french side
From what ive read
1) It probably wont have winter tyres or chains
2) Would add 30 mins to the journey via D844 or Pay for swiss vignette
Is there anything else im missing ??
3) if it happened to have a vignette sticker , I take we could just drive through Geneva to France
Any hints or tips welcome
Thanks Nick
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It won't have winter tyres but you can rent chains - but need to check they actually fit the wheels on the car......
A Swiss vignette is only necessary on the motorway out to Bardonnex (the quickest way to the French ski resorts). If you don't have a sticker you can still drive through Geneva, though traffic can be heavy. Probably worth buying a vignette to save time and temper. There is no need to do the detour to remain in French territory.
That's an extraordinarily big difference in price - are you sure you got that right?
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Those prices are via a Agent (Skyscanner )
Even direct with Europcar
Vauxhall Corsa French =£220
Vw Polo Swiss = £489
Looking on Google it only adds 20-30 mins to your journey for the French detour ??
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Yes, as @Raceplate says, they usually (but not always) check for the vignette on the way into Switzerland, never[1] on the way out, and the chances of you being randomly pulled over by police on the very short stretch from the airport are vanishingly small. I'd take the risk and buy one on the way back if you need to.
[1] For values of 'never' that include perhaps five thousand motorway border crossings we've made over the years, much of them on a daily cross-border commute. The only time I have ever seen Swiss customs at an exit border post was on a small crossing at the very start of the Covid lockdown, when they were effectively just there to advise that if I went into France it might be difficult to get back in again.
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I agree that the checks at Bardonnex are on entering Switzerland and that risking an illegal dash (or sometimes more like a crawl) out to Bardonnex from the airport might be worth the small risk of anything going wrong. But you would need to allow extra time for getting back to the airport without a vignette. It's not a huge deal, depends on the opportunity cost you put on your ski holiday time (or that extra time in bed on leaving day).
To me, in winter, the risk of not having winter tyres if conditions were bad is much greater than the risk of running that exit stretch of motorway, but if you are correct about that price differential you are looking at a very big saving. Might be worth the risk of having to put chains on (and, even worse, take them off) a few times, to save that much.
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If you are lucky there may be a vignette in the car from a previous user as happened to us a few weeks ago, though I would just have bought one for the sake of a few quid. Cars without one were being stopped on entering Switzerland but as others have said no one was checking on leaving Switzerland.
Ferney Voltaire is within the limits of the ‘Loi montagne’ so you may want to check with the car hire company if they will be supplying cars with winter tyres for your hire period - they didn’t know the answer when I asked a few months ago so have hired from the Swiss side for our February trip to ensure we get a car with winter tyres, but it’s likely you will have to rent snowchains.
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The "Loi montagne" does not require winter tyres. One might hope that car hire companies would "do the decent thing" but that's probably a vain hope. It's a competitive business and they probably wouldn't reckon that customers would be prepared to pay any premium.
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Winter tyres are mandatory on the swiss side for rented cars, not on the french side..... Usually on swiss side, chains are included in the rental price, they are optional (on a rental point of view) on the french side. The bargain is low.... If you are trying to save money, better fly to Lyon and rent your car there.
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thierryd wrote: |
Usually on swiss side, chains are included in the rental price. |
Not the last few times we’ve rented there, check the fine print if you are expecting them gratis.
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ster wrote: |
thierryd wrote: |
Usually on swiss side, chains are included in the rental price. |
Not the last few times we’ve rented there, check the fine print if you are expecting them gratis. |
I didn't said gratis, I said included
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) 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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Ok, the last few times they have not been included in the price and cost extra.
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@wasley, suggest you check the Geneva airport website that has it's own comparison engine and I've found them cheaper than the usual comparison sites such as rentalcars.com. Winter tyres and vignette always included, chains are normally optional but they are sometimes included in the boot and you will be charged if you use them. Includes feee amendments and cancellations up to 48 hours.
https://genevaairport.org/#/searchcars
(scroll down)
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) You know it makes sense.
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Ozboy wrote: |
@wasley, suggest you check the Geneva airport website that has it's own comparison engine and I've found them cheaper than the usual comparison sites such as rentalcars.com. Winter tyres and vignette always included, chains are normally optional but they are sometimes included in the boot and you will be charged if you use them. Includes feee amendments and cancellations up to 48 hours.
https://genevaairport.org/#/searchcars
(scroll down) |
Thanks Ozboy, great shout.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ozboy wrote: |
@wasley, suggest you check the Geneva airport website that has it's own comparison engine and I've found them cheaper than the usual comparison sites such as rentalcars.com. Winter tyres and vignette always included, chains are normally optional but they are sometimes included in the boot and you will be charged if you use them. Includes feee amendments and cancellations up to 48 hours.
https://genevaairport.org/#/searchcars
(scroll down) |
That got me going as a price of £82 come up , but then realised that was per a day
As @thierrydmentioned try Lyon...Originally that was my plan and then drive to Tignes.. But then noticed my local airport (30mins) (Gatwick 90 mins) had cheap flights to Geneva and the cheap French side car rental win win ( but change ski resort nearer Geneva ) .
Now Lyon car hire has dropped £50-70 ...what to do??
Reading everyone's advise , if we do the Geneva option
1)Hire French side
2)Risk the drive through Geneva
3)Way up the conditions and Buy Snow chains from a Supermarket on-route
4)On the return drive around Geneva via D844
thanks All
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Poster: A snowHead
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wasley wrote: |
Reading everyone's advise , if we do the Geneva option
1)Hire French side
2)Risk the drive through Geneva
3)Way up the conditions and Buy Snow chains from a Supermarket on-route
4)On the return drive around Geneva via D844
thanks All |
Yep, that's a solid plan
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When we were deciding on our Easter holiday flights, I looked at the cost of car hire before booking flights. There's no point booking cheap flights if you then get hammered for car hire-it's the total cost which counts.
Our default is Geneva for convenience/familiarity, but a quick look at the car hire cost (£410 at Geneva v £120 at Lyon) and we switched to Lyon. Yes, the car won't have winter tyres but we are going mid April so it's a risk we will take and we won't be driving first thing in the morning or late in the evening.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) 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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Quote: |
Yep, that's a solid plan
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No, I don't think you've grasped all the essentials, @wasley.
You can drive through Geneva without a vignette. The only people who need to drive round the D844 are people without entry papers for Switzerland (I had to deal with this once, with visitor with only a Zimbabwe passport - lots of hoops to jump through). The consensus here was that driving OUT of the airport towards Bardonnex on the motorway you were very unlikely to have the vignette checked. Coming back through Bardonnex, from the French side, on your return it is almost 100% certain that you WILL be checked. So if you decide against buying a vignette you can still drive through Geneva centre, avoiding the motorway. Only modest map reading skills needed but DON'T follow a satnav to the airport because it will take you to the Swiss side, not where you need to take the car back.
The question of needing chains is entirely separate from needing a vignette. If it's snowy, and you have a French rental car without winter tyres, you'd be daft to go without chains. Ask to rent them with the car, and make sure they're the right size. If you can't get correctly sized chains (and it does happen), buy some. There's a "Feu Vert" shop (French version of Halfords) very near the airport in Ferney Voltaire - at least there used to be, you'd need to check.
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I bought a pair of snow socks off eBay for a tenner and guessed the size based on the car I'd hired - not that difficult as there's tolerance in the socks. Worked out ok. Very snowy week and the socks worked like a charm.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I looked at hiring from the French side of Geneva for our Xmas trip. Was £350 v £550 from swiss side.
However, they wanted to charge an extra 130 euros to hire snow chains for the week!..what a wee wee take. Since we're arriving lateish on Xmas eve I did n't want to risk faffing around with sourcing snow chains from a supermarket, so I've settled on Swiss side for the simpler drive, winter tyres and snow chains in the back.
Snow socks from ebay though...that's got me thinking again...
Shipjack
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@Shipjack, I hired a car from the Swiss side in January (it was actually cheeper than the French side that week. It is sometimes) and had to pay extra for snow chains.
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Last time I rented from the French side the car had winter tyres on it anyway so you might be lucky. I'd not be inclined to pay for the rental snow chains - they were quite an expensive add on from memory and much more expensive than buying a cheap supermarket set. I'd wait until you see the car before deciding if you need chains as you might not.
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Hmm..yes, you do hear of that as well I know. I hired from the Swiss side in the past and much as I was invited to pay extra for snow chains, I took a chance and did n't. I was pleased to see (as is often the case I think) there were in back anyway, but sealed up with cable grips. I think if I'd broken the cable grips I would've been charged but I did n't need them.
I'm perfectly happy with that arrangement to be honest, we're just going to La Clusaz (not very high) so I reckon winter tyres should be fine, with the option to use snow chains in the unlikely event that they're needed.
Just checked and I can now get a French side hire for £280...hmm.
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Monkey..thats very interesting. Now I'm even more uncertain..
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@wasley Just be aware that there's plenty of forum feedback from people who have thought they 'got a good deal' through an intermediary broker and then arrived at the rental desk to find themselves presented with a bunch of additional, often mandatory charges. This is especially the case for 'winterization' i.e. the provision of winter tyres and/or chains. With no option to opt out. This is why, like @Ozboy I always start my search at the GVA pages that link to the ~.ch Swiss sites for the rental companies, which often quote different prices (and sometimes additional car types) to their .com or .co.uk equivalents, then use this as the comparison baseline. Sometimes the French offering is genuinely better by a big margin, but sometimes not so much, once a vignette, winter tyres and chains are factored in.
And just make sure that there's not a regional bus that takes you to/from your destination or a train link to, or near to, your resort. For both our trips out next month and Jan-Feb, we've switched from car hire to train/télépherique to get to our chosen resort, because it turned out both significantly cheaper and (certainly on the return leg), more convenient.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As per @LaForet this is a screenshot from the .ch Geneva airport booking site and it is very clear to see that winter tyres are included. This booking was £50 cheaper than rentalcars.com at £157 for four days in December from the same company - Flizzr. First time I am using Flizzr and assume it’s similar to their parent company Sixt but with older cars.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) 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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That's a very useful link - who cares if cars are a bit older? However, just a word of warning - swiss rental cars do not invariably have chains in the boot, and when they do, they are not always the right size. Human errors, perhaps......
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Another tip: If you work for a large organisation that uses its own travel agency, you may find they can get you far better rental rates than for any individual. You just have to be clear that this is a private rental, as your employer's opt-outs may not be suitable. These agencies don't care who is doing the buying, and are often quite happy to get additional revenue from their corporate clients' employees. Not all do this, but it's always worth a try if it applies to you.
Another possibility is if you're in any sort of professional association or body. For example, when I was a member of the Institute of Directors, I got a flat 20% discount from Hertz. Also, free admission to various airport lounges.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) You know it makes sense.
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LaForet wrote: |
For example, when I was a member of the Institute of Directors, I got a flat 20% discount from Hertz. Also, free admission to various airport lounges. |
Sadly the airport lounge perk has gone from IoD now, so cancelled my membership!
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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We hired a car before the covid from French side:
1. at the stand, the hire company offered us good deal on car with winter tyres with chain, and with the swiss signette. also the tires been cross climate. Not sure if you get proper winter tyres from any hire car hire company.
2. when you get out of the airport, make sence to mark a place in GPS, as on return back, we spend quite a time to find entrance to French side territory (may be due to road works). We cycled at least 10 times around the airport, as the road signs were missleading.
Good luck with your trip.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Poster: A snowHead
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One thing just to note is they have done loads of roadworks/changes around the airport and ferney Voltaire, so the sat nav has a high chance of being out of date/wrong. Have Google maps on hand as well…
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Quote: |
they have done loads of roadworks/changes around the airport and ferney Voltaire
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That's certainly true. I went into FV to fill up the tank after hiring a Swiss side car in Gva in October. I thought I knew my way around...... but the road works were very extensive and then we had unknowingly hit the big French fuel shortage and I couldn't understand the long wait for petrol. The whole area was a complete mess.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Another thing to check is the opening times for the French side, which I think (?) are quite limited compared to the Swiss side.
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That's true. I once had a puncture on the way to pick up a friend from the airport, late in the evening. It took ages to get in, but someone was waiting for me with a different car - that was Swiss side.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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denfinella wrote: |
Another thing to check is the opening times for the French side, which I think (?) are quite limited compared to the Swiss side. |
Very good point & they wont hang around for delayed flights
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denfinella wrote: |
Another thing to check is the opening times for the French side, which I think (?) are quite limited compared to the Swiss side. |
The opening times are also not the same as Swiss side. Back in March, BA cancelled my flight and rebooked me on the next flight which was then delayed for 2.5 hours. They also lost my skis in the process and by the time I got out, the rental desk was closed. My buddy (who had no troubles with easyJet ) was waiting for 4.5 hours and we had to get a hotel room. In the morning, Swiss side opened at 0700 but French side 0800. We still went early and the very charming car rental person kindly opened a little early and upgraded us, but we still lost half a day.
Just to add, worth having at least own boots, socks and gloves as carry on; you can buy the rest and claim against insurance or delayed flight (courtesy of BA I have a nice warm Norrona jacket now).
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So do we know anything further on whether the french side is providing chains or socks?
Even Ferney-Voltaire is part of the region where the new law covers.
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Has anybody suggested they're going to provide socks?? Seems unlikely, given how easily they get trashed.
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pam w wrote: |
Has anybody suggested they're going to provide socks?? Seems unlikely, given how easily they get trashed. |
I mentioned on another thread that last season the promised winter tyres on my French-side rental were in fact a pair of snow socks.
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I was just wondering in case I need to buy a set after collecting the car. But if they come with snow socks then that's compliance.
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