 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi going to Les Arcs on Monday, flying into Geneva but read lots of confusing info on which side to hire a car from. Could anybody advise which is easier and if we are travelling into france are we allowed to rent from swiss side?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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you'll arrive at swiss side, easiest drive to resort is by hiring on swiss side
you might get lots more info but this sums it up!!!!
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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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rooonan, I agree. I go regularly to Geneva (in fact am going tomorrow) have picked up passengers from both sides and hired cars from both sides in the past. Swiss is undoubtedly easiest and unless you can get a hugely cheaper deal on the French side it's not really worth doing.
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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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Well, that is all well and good, but there have been so many scare stories on here about car hire on the Swiss side of GVA I am really nervous about it!
I am looking forward to:
Loads of unexpected rip-off charges for insurances, winter tyres, chains, handcuffs, lifebelts etc.
Paying for a bus which goes about 50 metres
Not being able to get petrol without being in the Freemasons
Not being able to pay with proper Euros but having to use some local funny-money like the offshore islanders do.
Needing some sticker or other on the windsceen or I get fined millions of Swissmarks.
Queueing for hours to get my car.
and I am used to hiring cars!
Tell me it isn't that bad!
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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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Swiss side! You get a vignette so you can drive on Swiss motorways - snow tyres - and it's much easier. But now you have to get from the car hire desks to the car park - the subject of many hours of messages here. Basically walk unless you can't or have too much luggage - otherwise jump on the shuttle bus (which might be busy this weekend - and you might get a sneaky charge for from the car hire company - Alamo is 9CH unless you face it down).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chris Bish, It isn't that bad. Walk to pick up the car then drive back around and into the airport to pick up your passengers and luggage. If your fast (in and out in less than 10 minutes) the car park is free, and if not, only 1 swiss frank. And when you come back at the end of the week, all the signposting will take you to the right place - whereas there is literally NO signposting to the French side till you are at the entrance. However, there's a lot of nonsense written about how impossible it all is on the French side. It can be far quieter on the French side, you don't need a bus, it's all extremely easy if you have good directions and a vignette won't cost you much. And there is little or no chance of needing snowchains or snowtyres next week. The argy-bargy about extra "hidden" charges is partly because too many people believe the oft-repeated Snowheads mantra that snow tyres and snow chains are always included, and always "free", on the Swiss side.
Hiring on either side of Geneva and getting out onto the motorway a few yards away is easy-peasy compared to many airports where you totter your way out, getting used to changing gear with your right hand whilst coping with a maelstrom of indisciplined traffic.
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rooonan, would seriously consider hiring car on line it being easter weekend there could be a shortage of reasonably priced cars when you get there on monday (swiss side) gets my vote!
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I would rather walk to Les Arcs than hire on the Swiss side
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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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As per all airports, its all about knowing your way round - especially Geneva
I've hired from both the French & Swiss sides - to be honest, I find the French side easier, quicker & cheaper.
As soon as you're out of baggage reclaim, go upstairs & through to the French side - door by BA desks.
Get your car (usualy no wait) & go about a km before crossing the border point back into Switzerland (NB the cars are actually by the car hire desks - no busses)
No need for a vignette - just get on the motorway & cruise to France.
Coming back you may or may not get stopped at the border control (9 trips - only stopped once!) and buy the vignette (tip - look for the ladies stopping the traffic & take another lane)
Be careful to take the right junction back to the French side of the airport - stop at the Total garage en-route (takes Euros cash, credit cards - none of the automated Swiss pump problems) before dropping the car.
If you've got time, theres also a good supermarket/restaurant nearby which is cheaper & better than the airport
Go back to the Swiss side by following the route in reverse to check in
Time wise - you'll be on your way to the snow quicker than the busy Swiss car hire desks with their queues, bus trip to the cars, refuelling problems, etc
Overall its easy and not as complicated as people like to make out.
Last tip - if you book with Avis (search the internet for discount codes up to 25% off), you'll also get snow chains included
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janner, do cars on the French side come with winter tyres as standard?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
No need for a vignette - just get on the motorway & cruise to France.
Coming back you may or may not get stopped at the border control (9 trips - only stopped once!) and buy the vignette (tip - look for the ladies stopping the traffic & take another lane)
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I agree that the French side need not be difficult or complicated if you have the right directions, but this information is grossly misleading. Driving on the Swiss motorway without a vignette (which you can buy at the border crossing back into Switzerland just outside the French entrance in Ferney Voltaire) risks a very, very, very, large spot fine.
And no, the French cars do not come with winter tyres and neither can you guarantee getting snowchains, even if you request them in advance (though this can also be a problem on the Swiss side, occasionally).
I do the border crossing at Bardonnex very frequently and the majority of the time there ARE people there checking vignettes - if you have done 8 out of 9 crossings without being stopped I'd say you've been fortunate. But it remains a risk - if you are aware of the fine, and prepared to take that risk, good luck to you, but it is not too sensible to advise others to do so without making them aware of the risk. It's a bit like saying "I've driven to Tignes several times and never needed snowchains yet - just cruise on without them."
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| I do the border crossing at Bardonnex very frequently and the majority of the time there ARE people there checking vignettes - |
That's my experience as well. In fact it seems to be the only thing they check!
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You know it makes sense.
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thanks - we hired from the swiss side - very easy and hire at last minute was cheaper on swiss side than on the french!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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In response to Pam W - I obviously would not condone or advise against buying a Swiss vignette.
In the same way, I would not advise anybody to speed on the French motorways & of course nobody does that!
As a forum, I'm just sharing my experiences - people should make up their own minds based on the posts - I'm certainly not advising anybody, just relaying my experiences.
The facts are you are extremely unlikely to get stopped on a Swiss motorway - if you are, you will be fined - its a question of how much risk you're prepared to take on.
The main check point is on the border coming back into Switzerland - if you get through, you can get to the airport without being checked.
As Pam W says, if you are stopped just buy the vignette at the border.
In the same way, I'm only saying you get snow chains if you book with Avis - couldn't comment on anybody else.
The main point of my post was to let people know that booking hire cars on the French side is not a major problem and can be better than hiring acar in Switzerland.
Apologies if I've added to the confusion
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Poster: A snowHead
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Probably too late now, but might help someone in the future. The vignette is 30 EUR (no coins) and we had it, but not in notes so were sent to the kiosk to pay by card. Given the option to pay in GBP, which, given the exchange rate with CHF worked out about £23. Because it's given in hand rather than stuck on we can hang on to it for next time too...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Because it's given in hand rather than stuck on we can hang on to it for next time too...
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Good point. But they don't last indefinitely - only a year. So if you go skiing earlier in the following year (AND if you are not stopped in the meantime, as you will be made to stick it on the windscreen if the police stop you) you could use the same one the following year.
janner, people certainly have been stopped on the Swiss motorway - I recall a Snowheads post to that effect, a couple of years ago. Big fine.
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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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pam w," you could use the same one the following year"
they are usually different colours from year to year and have the year printed on them. (had a whole collection of them on our old merc)
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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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| Quote: |
So if you go skiing earlier in the following year (AND if you are not stopped in the meantime, as you will be made to stick it on the windscreen if the police stop you) you could use the same one the following year.
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So you could. It's not difficult to have two ski holidays in less than the lifetime of a vignette. One in March, say, and one the following January. 
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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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An 09 vignette lasts til the end of Jan 10 if my understanding is correct but the motorway border is one of the most likely places to get pulled inbound or outbound if you don't have one.
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