Driving into Switzerland

A snowHead

Next March, after years of self drive/self catering in 3 Valleys, Espace Killy & Grand Massif, we are breaking with tradition and going to Switzerland. My question is this. With Switzerland being a non EU country, is it OK to load the car up with as much food and wine as we can squeeze into it at a French Hypermarket & nonchalantly drive through the border or do the Swiss customs take a dim view of such a practice? Puzzled

I'd also welcome lots of positive comments on how good the skiing is in the Printze area of the 4 valleys as the decision to go there has been made more on the quality/price of the chalet (including the colour of the kitchen units) rather than any knowledge of the mountains!

A snowHead

Roger King, why bother, MIGROS is good value.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Simple answer is no. They will most likely search you car, and it's not worth the incredible fines. That said, you can bring in goods just to a certain limit...

http://www.traveldocs.com/ch/customs.htm

Only 2l-3 of alcohol Shock

There goes that plan...

So ya... better just go to MIGROS

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That's actually quite a restrictive list isn't it. I wasn't aware of that when I drove through Switzerland from France (and back from Italy) last summer, not sure whether I'd have been within the limits. They seemed more interested in Motorway Vignettes though. Add their restriction on Satnav's which store POI's/speed camera locations too.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Roger King, My advice advice is to buy a Motorway Vignette before hand and they will wave you through without stopping you. Works for me. snowHead

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Colin B,

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Megamum, Take a look at this thread

After all it is free

Megamum, I've driven into Switzerland three time with my TomTom without a problem. I was asked at Rotterdam after getting of the ferry whether it was only a GPS and not a radar detector, the only time I have been asked. The policeman was ok when I said it was GPS only. As I said earlier, if you buy your Vignette before hand, they will probably wave you through the Swiss border without stopping you. I suppose if they did stop you, they might inquire whether you had speed camera info on your TomTom, but I doubt that they would follow it up if you said no.

Colin B, Thanks a lot for that - I hadn't seen the thread. I followed the link to TT web site - it said my TT shouldn't have been shipped with Switz speed cameras, but I checked anyway and couldn't find them - so I think I'm probably OK. I did also remove the German ones jsut to be on the safe side too as that other thread suggested that those too were illegal.

I assume the presence of a satnav without the camera locations is fine on the continent and that you can still use them for finding your way?

In fact I am astonished at how easily I become a satnav convert - it is making a huge difference to my lone trips in the car to see clients and deliver goats to new owners etc. It is also brilliant on unlit strange roads in the dark to gain some appreciation of the lie of the road. I used to not give them any time whatsoever - I was so wrong!! Laughing

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Everyone I know who lives in Geneva does their shopping in France!! It's common practice isn't it?

You know it makes sense.

We often shop in Germany, especially for meat which, as stanton, says, is very expensive in CH - although also extremely good quality. The borders are a bit of a lottery but as long as you don't want to ship your own booze in, which is cheap if bought in a supermarket (not Migros, though, it doesn't have a licence) particularly in Denner, you will be fine. They also have a no-dairy policy to protect the subsistence farming that is still the staple of many.

I regularly get stopped but have never been searched. A cheerful Guten Tag (or Gruezi if you're feeling brave) and no fumbling for your docs and they will let you through. If your lights are broken, your car is filthy, you're wearing your greasy hair in a ponytail under a baseball cap, the suspension is creaking with the weight of the load or you look generally undesirable (being Eastern European would count as far as the protective Swiss are concerned) then you may be in for a grilling. Don't give them the chance...

G'luck!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I went to the Migros near Geneva airport one day, but never again. I found it not only expensive but also disorganised and generally a poor shopping experience. However the cafeteria in the same building is super value, as Stanton suggests. I have mostly crossed on the Bernex border crossing on the motorway from France. I normally have a vignette but on occasions have had to stop and buy one. we've never had any problem with customs there, but I have seen some cars being absolutely taken apart. They generally seem to be fast expensive cars driven by smartly dressed young men. Tatty old Brits seem to have an easier time. But a litre of spirits per adult should last a week, anyway! wink

A snowHead

A snowHead

my litres must be smaller then..

All the swiss my g/f works with do all their shopping and petrol buying over the border in Germany

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Petrol?? I doubt it. The cheapest petrol in Western Europe is in CH - currently at CHF 1.70, about 80p.

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I must have driven over the Swiss boarder 50 times in the last 4 years and (touch wood) have never been searched or even questioned, all they seem interested in is, do you have a vignette.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I went to Geneva from morzine a month ago. I forgot my passport and didn't think of it till I has in switerland. On the way back the douanne were stoping cars and checking the boots but this was for vehicles entering france from switzerland. Luckily I didn't get stopped!

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks for the useful information everyone. Not sure if I am actually any more sure of my plans though. I always feel very much at home in French supermarkets so Migros (of whom I'd never heard) will be a new experience. Any knowledge of the skiing around Thyon? Is it true that it is a mountain covered in T bars?

After all it is free

RobinS,

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pam w, we'll have to let you off, given the time in the morning that you wrote that post, but I think that the fun police have their own forum...

Maybe the all night session has driven you to get on the wagon - you know what they say about the reformed! wink

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Roger King, I skied in Thyon 2000 about 20 years ago (so am happy for my knowledge to be out of date) - the skiing was excellent. The resort was not so much a resort as a ski station, very quiet at night, pedestrianised from what I recall. There WERE a number of drags, again AFAIR, and wide cruising pistes. The views were spectacular though. Sorry can't be more helpful, but it WAS a long time ago!

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eng_ch,

You know it makes sense.

Help!!

Driving into Switzerland

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