Hello Sue & advance welcome to Geneva!!

have no precise answers but just a small lead...

go to the GLocals 'Forums Home' and try a Search on the word 'school'
and another on 'relocation'

Hope this helps

cheers!

Thank you Nomades. I'll try this option.

Thank you very much.

Sue

Welcome Sue  for the schools try 

Regards,

Here are a few links for you...

http://www.knowitall.ch/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=105&Itemid=136

 http://www.englishforum.ch/search2.php?q=international+schools++in+Geneva

http://genevalunch.com/blog/tag/international-school-of-geneva/

 http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sport/Education_&_Training.html?currentId=99756&cid=78218

Hi

For schools:

Geneva International school - Founex

College de Leman - Versoix

British School of Geneva (be prepared that this may be the only one offering A levels)

(all have websites and English speaking people who can answer your questions. Most have places available I would imagine, turn over here is high.)

For a HOUSE..... I would look at the following websites:

www.immostreet.ch

www.homegate.ch

Have a look in both Canton Geneva and also Canton Vaud... do a search that incorporates maybe a 20km radius of Nyon.

A few yrs ago I had a 5 bed / 2 bath + guest loo 200m2 semi detached for chf 5500pm which was considered good value...so be prepared to pay in excess of that!

If you have access to a "relocation agent" via your firm, use it.... and if the firm is prepared to pay towards housing.... you will need it.

Good luck.

ps estate agents in switzerland dont call you back if youre renting... they have enough people desperate enough to call them...sorry but the competition for good value places is very very high.... mind you at the expensive end of the housing market it may be different...depends on your budget of course ...money talks walks and sings  here....

Charlie you are great! Fantastic points, very helpful.

I'll start calling the estate agencies tomorrow.

Schools: I've checked on their websites and I think that the only one offering A levels is actually the British School of Geneva. So I'll stay on this option and get to know them better.

Houses: well, hahaha, where shall we start? I have seen the prices of the houses and they are as expensive as London. What can I say? I hope both the quality and the service are the same. My husband's brief is: the less the better.

What intrigued me were 2 things:

a) the radius...20km. Isn't it too far, considering that the girls will have to go to school and that they should be depending, once more, on their mum's taxi due to their age (16 and 12)? I was thinking of a good central apartment.

b) do you think a relocation agency is a "key tool" in Geneva? I moved quite a lot in the past 15 years, but if you think that I could benefit from an agency, I could try asking my husband if his firm can pay for it. (???!!!)

Last question is: is there's lots of traffic on rush hours?

Thank you very very much for your time and advices!

Have a good night. Take care,

Sue

Thank you Translator, I did not know the existence of these websites!

Wow, I'll need tiem to go through them. Thank you soo much.

The International School of Geneva is out of the question for us, as my daughter wants to do A levels and attend Universities in UK.

Thank you for taking time in searching and posting these links. You have been very kind. :-)

Have a good night and take care,

Sue

Thanks Medicis. 

Hi Sue

I may be wrong (so worth checking) but all the above schools offer a private bus/coach service to pick up children in outlying areas. Its an affordable cost.

Traffic at rush hour is bad yes, but not compared to the UK or Thailand or Frankfurt. It moves... and you seldom get the 20km tailbacks.

For appartments of size in Geneva... I giggled...sorry... you will get space and size further out... and remember the Swiss transport system is quite good.

So Nyon to Gva takes 15 mins by train.  (by car its 20..and prob 40 at rush hour, going in...coming out is fine except on a Friday, when you get the mountain traffic in winter).

If the kids want to do formal sport (tennis, swimming, riding etc) you'll probably  be better off out of Gva since facilities are less crowded.

Be prepared that houses/ appartments here come with "nothing"... ie you will need to supply your own light fittings and bulbs... most high end ones (its only high end coz of the bedroom count) come with fitted kitchens...

Here you pay for rooms and m2.... more equals more...so if you dont want to be squashed, and dont mind a 20 min drive into Geneva for a nice dinner or show in the evening then look around at perhaps semi detached villas or the more outlying areas. 

The large family appartments in Geneva are mostly taken by either very wealthy, or embassy staff with families, and 5000 to 6000 will probably get you a 3 or 4 bed place, but your m2 will be limited, no guarantee of a balcony or parking..etc etc.. a house/villa semi or detatched is doable at that price too... and there you get more bang for your buck. (im sure the websites will give you an idea of prices and size.) Property here is the biggest single problem for new arrivals...and in almost every case is a shock in terms of size, price and quality.

Just remember Switzerland is a small country, so 20km out of town here is like having a place in Fulham or Wandsworth in London in terms of commute time (actually is prob quicker here) and driving times.

Pretty villages on the Nyon side are , Versiox, Tannay /Mies, Coppet, Founex, Commugny, Celigny, Nyon, Prangins, Gland.... all on the lake side and very commutable from. Outside of Nyon inland you have the likes of Borex and Trelex, and Gingins... all also ok.

In Canton Geneva you have the likes of Russin, Peney, etc which are more countryfied than central down town.

Charlie you are a true star.

I've told my husband to invite you for a beer once we are over there. (I don't drink a drop!! natural born crazy!)

We truly appreciate your time and your hints.

Take care. 

Sue.