How to drive to French side of Geneva Airport from Geneva?

I normally hire cars from the Swiss side but this tme I've had to hire from
the French side.

I've accessed the Swiss side of GVA dozens of times but can't recall ever
seeing any signs for the French side. When it comes to returning the car,
does anyone know how to easily get to the French side of the airport by car
from Geneva?

Thanks,
Dave.

There's a PDF map and instructions on the Geneva Airport website.
http://www.gva.ch/publications/pdfs/AF.pdf

Bacically, you have to go the long way round the west side via Collonges
and Saint-Genis Pouilly to Ferney-Voltaire on the D984... It's a right
PITA !... I did it once, never again !

Steve

"DMG" wrote in message
:

I normally hire cars from the Swiss side but this tme I've had to hire from
the French side.

I've accessed the Swiss side of GVA dozens of times but can't recall ever
seeing any signs for the French side. When it comes to returning the car,
does anyone know how to easily get to the French side of the airport by car
from Geneva?

Thanks,
Dave.

Quite easy really. Drive as if returning it to the Swiss side but head
through the tunnel in the direction of Ferney Voltaire. Through the
checkpoint, round the roundabout and return to the french part of the
airport along a longish road which is fenced off from the airport. It can be
fiddly finding signs but it isn't that far and if you hire in France you
should be able to see the route as you drive from the airport. Unless things
have changed btw always fill up the hire car on your return in Switzerland
rather than France, much cheaper. Also worth remembering that any car hired
on the French side will NOT have the Swiss carnet included which allows free
travel on Swiss motorways. You will either have to buy this or risk getting
caught!!

Steve

I've done this a few times by going through Geneva from the Chamonix
direction on the A40. Take the A411 and head straight on for the city
centre and the lake. Part of the battle is ignoring any signs for the
Airport or France until the last minute. You should cross a bridge at
the lake, then making sure the lake is on your right, drive alongside
it, there should be some fancy hotels on the left. After about 1/4 mile
the road bends left away from the water and you should go straight
across the junction to what should be the Avenue de France. After
another 1/4 mile or so this becomes the Route de Ferney and basically
you should follow this for about a mile all the way to the border which
is just after a large junction with links to the motorway which you
cross. It is safe to follow signs to Ferney or Gex. The French side of
the Airport is immediately on your left after the border.

Good luck
Dave

Thanks, everyone. It may not be as bad as I feared!

Dave.


"DMG" wrote in message
...
I normally hire cars from the Swiss side but this tme I've had to hire from
the French side.

I've accessed the Swiss side of GVA dozens of times but can't recall ever
seeing any signs for the French side. When it comes to returning the car,
does anyone know how to easily get to the French side of the airport by
car from Geneva?

Thanks,
Dave.

Thanks, guys. Doesn't look as bad as I thought!


"DMG" wrote in message
...
I normally hire cars from the Swiss side but this tme I've had to hire from
the French side.

I've accessed the Swiss side of GVA dozens of times but can't recall ever
seeing any signs for the French side. When it comes to returning the car,
does anyone know how to easily get to the French side of the airport by
car from Geneva?

Thanks,
Dave.

I've accessed the Swiss side of GVA dozens of times but can't recall ever
seeing any signs for the French side. When it comes to returning the car,
does anyone know how to easily get to the French side of the airport by
car from Geneva?

You don't say where you are coming from. If coming from Lausanne, take
motorway exit 7 (signposted Ferney-Voltaire / Grand Saconnex), right at the
end of the slip road then immediately left at the lights onto the route the
Ferney and into the tunnel under the runway. Then see route below.

If you are coming from the French resorts in Savoie/Haute Savoie, drive into
Switzerland at Bardonnex via the A401 (join it from the N201 at St.Julien en
Genevois if coming from Annecy, or from the A40 exit 13 if coming from Haute
Savoie via Annemasse). Exit Swiss motorway just after driving past the
airport terminals and under Palexpo, signposted Ferney-Voltaire / Grand
Saconnex (exit 7). At roundabout at the top of the slip road, take last exit
(almost 360 degrees round) towards Ferney. At lights, go straight, into
tunnel under the runway. Go through customs at the end of the tunnel, then
on to roundabout. At roundabout, do a U-turn, and just before going back
through customs take the service road on your right to the airport French
sector.

Someone suggested a route through the centre of Geneva. I would avoid that
like the plague unless it's the middle of the night or early on a
Saturday/Sunday morning. At other times the motorway ring road is quicker.

It is also possible to avoid Switzerland altogether (useful if you don't
have a motorway sticker on the hire car and want to avoid the 40CHF tax, or
if you have bought a lot of goods and want to stay inside the EU), basically
from St.Julien follow the obvious route via Valleiry, Collonges, Saint Genis
to Ferney. It's quite a bit longer than the route via Switzerland, count 40
minutes from St.Julien (as opposed to 15-20 via Switzerland).


--

"DMG" wrote in message
...
I normally hire cars from the Swiss side but this tme I've had to hire from
the French side.

I've accessed the Swiss side of GVA dozens of times but can't recall ever
seeing any signs for the French side. When it comes to returning the car,
does anyone know how to easily get to the French side of the airport by
car from Geneva?

Dave,

Getting the car back could be the least of your problems. Finding and
accessing the French side of GVA after collecting your baggage ( assuming
you are not hand baggage only ) could be fun.

You used to have to go up to departures and find the access gate right up
the far end of the building. It was never well signposted and could be
unmanned and closed, although I never found it so.

The layout of GVA has changed a lot in recent years and it may be that
finding your way to the French side is easier these days - it used not to be
when I worked in Ferney-Voltaire.

Good luck

Clive

"CP" wrote in message
...

Getting the car back could be the least of your problems. Finding and
accessing the French side of GVA after collecting your baggage ( assuming
you are not hand baggage only ) could be fun.

You used to have to go up to departures and find the access gate right up
the far end of the building. It was never well signposted and could be
unmanned and closed, although I never found it so.

If you know where it is, it's easy. It is at check-in level, at the far
(railway station) end of the main terminal building, next to the BA check-in
desks.

Note that only arriving or departing passengers with a ticket are allowed to
use this passage

On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 08:18:47 +0100, "Marco Cattaneo"
wrote:


"CP" wrote in message
...

Getting the car back could be the least of your problems. Finding and
accessing the French side of GVA after collecting your baggage ( assuming
you are not hand baggage only ) could be fun.

If you know where it is, it's easy. It is at check-in level, at the far
(railway station) end of the main terminal building, next to the BA check-in
desks.

Note that only arriving or departing passengers with a ticket are allowed to
use this passage

Do they check, though? There's a similar passage at Basel airport,
which is geographically in France, but while there's nearly always a
passport check I've never been asked for a ticket.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.