How would you manage to avoid the tax?

There is quite a good bike store next to Val Thoiry, they sell most big named bikes and a lot of accessories in probably the largest bike store ive found close by.

Val Thoiry, Rue Pre-Fontaine
01710 Thoiry
Tel. 04 50 41 05 97
Opening

Open Monday from 14h to 19h,
Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 19h
and Saturday from 9h to 19h.

http://www.culturevelo.com/-Thoiry- 

I bought my bike from a shop called Districycle which is, literally, just across the border from La Croix-de-Rozon in the south of Geneva on Route d'Annecy (across the road from the Buffalo Grill). You'd be able to get the bus there, walk across the border and cycle back.

They've got a good selection of stuff and seem like they would be able to customise the bike's accessories.

They sold me my bike-tax free and gave me a stamped customs form for re-entry in to Geneva. Just had to pay the swiss tax and send the other half of the form back to the shop. I was with the car and declared at the Douane on the motorway. Not sure what'd stop you just cycling back across the unmanned checkpoint though and not paying anything.

Thanks for your replies. I'm going to check these 2 stores.

As for the tax thing, I was planning on paying the re-entry tax, but can you actually get away with not declaring anything when re-entering the country ? Can't they track you or something ?

I'm not sure whether they can track you or not. The shop took my name and address before they'd sell me it without tax and then made it clear I had to stop at the French border to get a stamp from them and send the form back to the shop so they wouldn't get in trouble.

I think normally you are meant to pay it then reclaim it at the border then go to the Swiss side and pay their tax.

As I was going across the Swiss part of the border the guard was waving me through. I had to tell him I had monies to pay!

I suspect that as I had already stopped and got the French stamp I could have probably driven on and the Swiss authorities wouldn't have known/cared and then I could have sent form back to the shop. I was too scared of being stopped and having my bike confiscated (or fined) that I choose to be honest!

Thanks for the details.

From what I understand, if you don't return the form stamped to the bike shop, they would get in trouble which I wouldn't want to happen.

So you're saying you could try to get the stamp on the French side of the border, then skip the Swiss side of declaring the bike, hoping they don't check you ?

I'm actually wondering if it's not difficult to actually even declare it as most borders are now empty.

Yeah, you could probably get the French stamp then hope that the Swiss side doesn't stop you.

Only problem with going through an unmanned border is you cannot get the French stamp! The only place I could get the stamp was on the motorway crossing (I tried two other crossings but they were unmanned). 

Guess this also doesn't help if you were planning to cycle back!

You can try also the bike shop in St Julien. The guy who is running the store is a real pro and very friendly. So he might be able to help you. The shop is a bit hidden: it's behind the Opel Garage on the left.

Have a look on his website, there is a map.

www.espace-cycles.fr

 7 Bis ancienne route d'Annecy 74160 SAINT JULIEN EN GENEVOIS, 04 50 49 26 07

in Annemasse they have decatlon, I've fixed my bike there for a price 90% cheaper than geneva.