 Poster: A snowHead
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Checking out the car hire prices, it is so much cheaper hiring from the French side. So far I have always hired from the Swiss side (always heard it was best).
I plan on going to Chamonix at Christmas and Flaine in March. Can anyone tell me the disadvantages on hiring from the French 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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Less convenient route into and out of the airport (a number of stories of people getting lost when trying to return the car). No winter tyres or chains on the car from the French side, so you will have to factor in the price of adding winter equipment.
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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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The principal disadvantage with hiring from the French side is the route out of Geneva. The Swiss cars come with a vignette - a pass allowing the use of the Swiss motorways. French cars do not, and so to get down to the ski resorts generally involves driving through the centre of Geneva.
Other benefits of the Swiss side include:
- cars come with winter tyres
- longer opening hours (not sure if this is just the car rental desks or because the French side of the airport closes)
I used to hire from the French side every time, but trying to get a convoy of 3 cars through Geneva is no joke. Now I always hire from the Swiss side - it's not that much more and to me the convenience far outweighs the added cost.
p.s. I'll be out in the Grand Massif both at Christmas / New Year and in March - may see you there!
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Thanks for that. The price difference actually isnt that big in March, only about £25 a week. The charge for winter tyres on the French side was 35 euros a day!!! Will stick to the Swiss side then.
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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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but if there IS a big saving on the French side it only costs the price of a few beers to buy a vignette and take the Swiss motorway to the French border.
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There's a way - when your destination is in France - of leaving on the French side and avoiding Swiss motorways altogether, and thus not having to buy the vignette at all. That's why we've always use the French side, because it works out cheaper that way.
And in 100% of cases we've gone the wrong way, and ended up buying a vignette anyway, making it more expensive overall.
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There is indeed a way by driving through Geneva city centre, although not much fun when you have a French hire car with French satnav which refuses to show roads outside France (i.e. in Geneva, which is in Switzerland)! Oh how I laughed returning the car - satnav working fine in France then coming across the border which looked for all the world like a coastline on the screen, all roads simply stopping ...
As well as driving through Geneva there is another way, and that is to head north-west out of the airport (in France), taking the D35 to join the D884 which scoots around Geneva alongside the border, then meeting up with the Autoroute Blanche in France south of Geneva. It is a lot further but in rush hour might be more preferable - although I do generally hire from the Swiss side so have a vignette.
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I've been pricing up this afternoon and the Swiss side is a lot cheaper for me. I've got my own Sat Nav that cover all of Europe. It actually cost not much more than the rental companies charge to hire one.
Frankly the price of Sat-Nav hire looks extortionate.
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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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Agreed - we were planning to use maps but the car was a free upgrade with sat-nav! Good reminder though - I should remember to take mine with me this time.
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Geneva isn't THAT complicated to drive through, is it? The signposts aren't too bad, in my experience (mostly gained before satnav became popular) and the lake is a dead handy navigation aid! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| Geneva isn't THAT complicated to drive through, is it? The signposts aren't too bad, in my experience (mostly gained before satnav became popular) and the lake is a dead handy navigation aid! |
From memory there's a couple of bits that aren't particularly intuitive on the way out, but you're right - the lake is a good help! An issue is traffic (it's quite busy) whilst trying to read signposts whilst re-familiarising oneself with driving on the other side of the road. The times I've done it it's taken quite a while to get out of the city due to the traffic issue.
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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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| Quote: |
I've got my own Sat Nav that cover all of Europe.
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Don't forget that some sat navs are illegal in Switzerland, even if in the boot and switched off - there's a thread on it somewhere. If they show speed cameras, I think (which just about all the UK ones do?)
I can't think why people struggle with central Geneva, or even worse that long trip round without going into Swiss territory at all, rather than spend a few bob for a vignette. These are people who are spending several thousand pounds on a holiday - an hour of your time on that holiday is worth more than a swis vignette. You'll be particularly glad you've got it if you're a bit late getting back to the airport in a snowstorm.
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If hiring from the french side, the route back to finding the car drop off should not be underestimated. We spent so long trying to find the french drop off that we eventually abandoned the car at the Swiss drop off and made by flight check in by 3 mins. Think we took a financial hit for leaving the car in the wrong country! but it was better than missing the flight.
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You know it makes sense.
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There are clear instructions for finding the French side - posted by me, and others, somewhere on Snowheads. Ignore all signposting to the airport and follow directions to Ferney Voltaire - the entrance to the French sector of the airport is immediately past the border post, on the left.
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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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SWISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! End of, so much easier.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Has anybody got any first hand experience of Easycars at Geneva?
They are working out the cheapest but I'm a little worried that I will get hammered for loads of hidden extras.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hire a car in Switzerland and enjoy impunity in regard to French autoroute speed cameras. 
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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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| waamo wrote: |
Has anybody got any first hand experience of Easycars at Geneva?
They are working out the cheapest but I'm a little worried that I will get hammered for loads of hidden extras. |
I'll be using them over Christmas / New Year as they came out cheapest. Have a close look at the "local supplier's terms and conditions" (viewable before you confirm booking) - specifically the sections titled "Taxes and Surcharges" and "Child Seats & Special Requests". I've seen different cars with the following statements:
Car 1: Taxes and Surcharges
"Your booking includes all local taxes, vehicle licensing fees and location surcharges."
Car 1: Child Seats & Special Requests"
"Snow Chains are provided between 15th November and 13th April each year. These are included in the cost of your booking."
Car 2: Taxes and Surcharges
"Your booking includes all local taxes, vehicle licensing fees, location surcharges and shuttle bus charges. Your booking does not include Winter Equipment, which applies on all rentals between 1st November and 15th April charged at CHF 9 per day excluding tax."
Car 2: Child Seats & Special Requests"
"Winter Equipment (tyres, snow chains, ice scrapper) are provided between 15th November and 15th April each year at a mandatory cost of CHF 9 per day excluding tax."
So Car 1 includes everything (although doesn't mention shuttle bus) but Car 2 would involve additional expenditure (presumably at the desk).
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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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Thanks mfj197. These extras are doing my head in. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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midgetbiker, hmm, yes, I've think I have been flashed in France (in my UK car) but have not received anything but there again I'm not positive I was flashed 
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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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| Quote: |
midgetbiker wrote:
Hire a car in Switzerland and enjoy impunity in regard to French autoroute speed cameras.
Seems logical BUT are you sure
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I've been "flashed" several times in France in a Swiss hire car, and never heard off anyone. . .
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Off topic I know but car hire ex GVA (French or Swiss sides) next winter seems a lot more expensive than in previous years
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Villz, yes, I think you're right- a number of people have commented about this. The cost of DIY transfers is a real consideration in planning a holiday. Going somewhere where a car will not be necessary (and may be a pain if there's loads of snow) the convenience of a taxi transfer is well worth thinking about. Let someone else struggle with the snow chains.
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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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Suggest you thoroughly check the fine print and familiarise yourself with the logistics before deciding. Visited Chatel last weekend and rented from National on the Swiss side due to familiarity, inclusion of winter tyres / chains and Vignette as planned to drive the Swiss motorway route. Booking directly was somewhat cheaper than broker sites, but only on face value until I discovered at the rental desk I overlooked the fine print which excluded CDW insurance - it included only 3rd party! I was charged an extra CHF20 per day. I find the Swiss side shuttle bus inconvenient and adds about 15 mins to the experience, and detest the small auto-pay self service petrol station just before the rental car station.
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Thought I would add that the service station in Ferney on the French side has a single self service pump on Sunday evenings and the queue last time we were there was 30 minutes. But the walk from the drop off point to the airport is only a few minutes
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You know it makes sense.
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Is it possible to walk, via a recognised route, from the terminal to the rental garage on the Swiss side in order to avoid waiting for the bus? I have seen people lug their cases along the main road which looks dodgy.
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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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@Ozboy, It's a doddle - come out of the door to the shuttle bus and keep going on the pavement on the RHS past Terminal 2 (the charter terminal). In 5 minutes you will see the multi-storey car park - cross the road, down 2 floors and there you are.
If the bus is there I jump on it. If not I walk. Usually only have hand luggage but if I am with others and there are a lot of bags they stay outside the car hire area and I drive back to pick them up.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| johnE wrote: |
| Thought I would add that the service station in Ferney on the French side has a single self service pump on Sunday evenings and the queue last time we were there was 30 minutes. But the walk from the drop off point to the airport is only a few minutes |
There is a supermarket (Carrefour I think) petrol station with several self service pumps very, very close to the airport.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@swiftoid, Thanks for that useful information. Do I just keep heading into Ferney?
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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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@DJL, thanks for the info - will try it next time unless the bus is already there. Which route do you normally take, many locals seem to favour the long way around the lake as we did. What is your retal car refuel strategy before drop off?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Right at the first roundabout, then second right IIRC. Doubt if it's open on Sundays though.
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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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For cheap fuel on the Swiss side try the Tamoil station (next to the big fuel tanks!) at 46.2149N, 6.1042E:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=46.2149,6.1042&t=h&z=20
From the A1, take the exit (J4) signed to Vernier just after the last tunnel. Turn right onto Route de Vernier and then left at the traffic lights after about 500m. They take Euros or CHF and, IIRC, are much cheaper than in France. Two of the four pumps are diesel only for trucks. There is also a BP station and a Coop very nearby.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Right at the first roundabout, then second right IIRC. Doubt if it's open on Sundays though. |
IIRC those directions are correct but why would the self service petrol station be closed on a Sunday?
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Ah yes, sorry, was thinking of the supermarket, which is where I usually go. Stupid....
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@Ozboy, In theory via Thonon and up the valley is quicker but that involves going via Geneva which can get clogged and not all passengers enjoy the drive up the valley. We tend to go N side of the lake though that is not without its issues if it gets busy. State of the Pas de Morgins also a consideration though it is usually clear.
I generally go past the airport and fill up in one of the stations on Avenue Louis Casai. Only adds about 5 minutes which is frequently less than the queue time at the WTC automat. A mate of mine fills up at the last service area on the motorway before the airport, gets the tank brim full and then trundles to the car hire drop off at 90kph in 5th/6th gear. He’s never been pulled up for an under-full tank.
Petrol cheaper in Switzerland (about the only thing that is!) diesel now pretty much the same F/CH
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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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north side of the lake can be a bit slow in rush hour...
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@under a new name, indeed. I nearly failed to get my son on a flight home a couple of weeks ago due to the Lausanne black hole. Should have dropped him at Aigle and let SBB take the strain.
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