 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone
We're driving to Samoens next week and my parents are flying. We are picking them up at Geneva Airport en route.
I want to avoid the swiss motorways since I was stung for a Vignette (sticker which allows travel on Swiss Motorways cost about E30 I think) last time when I was just doing an airport pick up.
Does anyone know how I can do this? Should I arrange for my folks to walk through to the French side of GVA and pick them up from there?
If so,
a) can anyone suggest an obvious meeting point as I don't know that side of the airport?
and
b) give directions by car avoiding swiss motorways?
My only other thought (looking at Google Maps) would be to come off the A40 at Veyrier and wiggle into Geneva that way?
Thanks for any thoughts....
FS
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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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| Freestyle wrote: |
Thanks for any thoughts....
FS |
The obvious thought is what time of day? The route through St Pouilly is very long and having assisted at a head on collision at Valerie the other day I think I'd sooner pay the 40CHF rather than having some out of control French loon head on into my car (I missed the accident by a hair's breath after stopping to pick up a hitch hiker). One of the drivers was not wearing a seatbelt and it was not a pretty sight to say the least. If I were a priest I would have administered the last rites rather than a bit of ineffectual first aid. In fact the people who were wearing belts were only marginally better off as they were very old.
Lancy can be hell between 5-7pm as you hit the dreadful Geneva traffic and the nasty eternal Meyrin roadworks (part of the big Geneva dig). If you go this way just follow signs for Balexert (big shopping center) then take the Lancy trunk which exits near Plaine les Ouates - there is a quick cross country route via Archamps which takes you straight into the French motorway system without hitting the St Julien/Perly traffic snarlup if you look closely on the map... from Plaine les Ouates carry on due east till you hit Archamps.
Otherwise from the airport going the country route via Aire de la Ville and Bernex is pretty rapid, from Bernex you get directly to Perly then St Jeu. I don't think it is shown on your map pssshhh.
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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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davidof, Thanks for the info. I will be heading for Geneva on the 18th April to drop my son off before heading back for the EOSB. 
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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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Freestyle, if you're doing a trip both in and out of the airport - to make the cost more worthwhile - you could find that the cost of a vignette, at 40 CHF, would add a lot more to the enjoyment of your holiday than would spending the equivalent on a few expensive beers on the slopes. What's it worth to avoid quite a lot of hassle and get to your holiday destination quicker and in a better temper? If it's not too busy a time of day, you could just head straight down into Geneva from the airport - hit the lake and go round the end, watching out for signs to Chamonix (round the end of the lake to the left, then fairly shortly off to the right, if I remember rightly; trying not to mix it with the trams!). It would be good to have a suitable map, a competent navigator and a cool head; I've found the signposting in Geneva to be less than comprehensible, sometimes - you need to have a feel for the geography and where you are heading in relation to the lake. Going back to the airport from Geneva or anywhere around is well signposted - to the SWISS side. No point in bothering with the French side - that would only be necessary if you needed to avoid any entry into Switzerland.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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the vignetes are sometimes sold on ebay!
My sat nav does not like Geneva. I nearly met Elvis when the car stalled on the tram line it sent me to!
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RPF, I thought you can't tear off the vignettes?
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pam w,
Is it really that bad that you would rather pay the e40?
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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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davidof,
Thank you. The collision sounds horrid. |FOr safety sake, would you suggest paying for the vignette?
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| Quote: |
I thought you can't tear off the vignettes?
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Not if you stick them on like you are supposed to but some entrepeneurs dont and sell em when they get home. I dont know the consequences of not sticking them properly. Knowing the swiss I'm sure they'll not let it go!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have a genuine unused vignette (I bought it online before going, then forgot to take it with me  ) £20 including postage if you are interested.
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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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Freestyle, it's not 40 euro, it's 40 Swiss francs, which is a bit less. It depends on the opportunity cost of your time. If you consider how much you spend on your skiing holiday, is an extra hour - possibly a lot more, if you get lost, which is not difficult, worth the price of a modest round of drinks?
I once got away without having the vignette stuck on at Bardonnex, because I was in a hired car from Albertville, paid for by my motor breakdown insurance when my own car was in the garage getting a new clutch. The woman who sold it to me allowed me to take it loose, but told me if the police stopped me they'd make me stick it on. She didn't suggest that they'd throw me into a deep dungeon or make me pay lots of money. But I think she was unusual; I suspect most of the people on duty at Bardonnex would make you stick it on straight away. I had rehearsed my story in French on the way in - I thought it might possibly put them in a better mood (give them a laugh, that is!).
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RobinS,
Sounds like a plan - so it definitely is unused? Those Swiss types are efficient!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Freestyle wrote: |
| RPF, I thought you can't tear off the vignettes? |
If they are properly stuck on they are tricky to remove but with care and a well lubricated razor blade, it can be done (I am told). If you smear a bit of soap on the screen before sticking the vignette on, removal is much easier (apparently).
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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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richmond, Put cling film on your window ... but it's 40chf ffs !
I've just had a windscreen replaced .. Vignette was removed and replaced by the windscreen folk no problem.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Agenterre, quite. I couldn't be bothered, personally.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Freestyle, it's £25. If somebody offered you £18 (once you've bought a decent map) to spend an hour or two of your holiday driving round, doing some map reading, risking getting lost and having some sulky back seat passengers, would you do it?
If the answer is "yes", save the dosh on the vignette. You might be able to do a bit of casual apartment cleaning too, if you ask around a bit. In fact I am cleaning two apartments today - and earning 60 euros, but then I'm here for months, not a week.
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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, elegantly argued.
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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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pam w,
Yes - I think buying a vignette en route is the way to go. Had forgotten it's CHF not Euros. Sorry RobinS, you'll have to ebay yours...thanks for the offer though....
FS 
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