Hey all,
Just want to post a few links and some tips, for the new or even existing frontalier. It seems spring is in the air, and as like myself this time last year, people are now on the move into and out of Geneve area.
I live just across the border in a small French village, it took a while but we now have a good friend basis of bothe French and expats alike, and are close to supermarkets etc. Shopping in France is cheaper as is rent and utilities, you may not be next to a hundred restaurants, nightclubs and need to drive most places but this is the price you pay for cheaper rent and a quieter pace of life.
If you are considering a frontalier move, there is an association dedicated to the cause. http://www.frontalier.org/index.htm
I do not work in Geneve but my wife does, and she has dual country insurance with MMA in Ferney Voltaire at around 116eur a month.
We use Orange.fr internet and phone, a package is around 36eur a month.Picked this up at the local Orange shop, took about 2 months to get it finally installed due to complications but since then no problems at all, always have 100mbs connection, and a phone line with free calls to most EU landlines. They have an english support line also.
We have 2 cars on the road with insurance costing around 100eur a month for both .A big 4x4 and a small cinqecento, no claims did not carry over for me but its still cheaper than the same insurance in Ireland for example. I use AXA France, they do not have an English speaking line, but I got nearly everything done online, and then my very few words of French and a patient customer service agent got the rest done. Big bonus about the French car, no road tax in France, so all you need to pay is your insurance and the Swiss vignette(40chf per year) and your done.
Supermarkets are generally open until 8pm over this side of the border and even 1 or 2 open for a few hours on Sunday morning.We generally use our local Migros, and use the loyalty card every time, meaning every couple of months get vouchers getting money off. Highest I have reached is 40chf off in vouchers that work in Swiss and French Migros.
Diesel for example is also a little cheaper, my local station is 1.38eur a litre at present.
For more practical info, like english speaking dentists etc, CERN has some good info that might help here, http://club-cwc-newcomers.web.cern.ch/club-cwc-newcomers/Health.html
Mobile phones, I did try French operators Orange and Bouygues at teh beginning, the roaming and coverage was not good for where we live on the border. I now have a Swisscom naytel prepay phone. Easy to top up online, and as long as I keep it locked on Swisscom network works very well for a good distance across the border.
Getting to and from the airport, I now always use the French Secteur of Geneva airport, there always seems to be parking available, even if the car parks are much smaller, you just duck down a back corridor into baggage arrivals and voila your on the Swiss side. Car parks are the same price as Swiss side FYI. P21 is the long term name. The section is designed for flights French domestic only, but is pretty self sufficent to the main terminal. For example car hire can be a hell of a lot cheaper over at the desks on the french secteur as are taxi's to the French towns. Car hire companies such as Europcar have an entire fleet of French cars there.
Banking, I have a French account with Credit Agricole, and have a CB (Carte Bleue) with them. This card is very handy for all things in France, tolls take it etc. I have an advisor who can speak English. Also cheque books are common and cheques are still widely used in France and can be required for getting a mobile, internet a car etc. My wife then has a UBS account with dual currency for ease of use. Charges for the French account are in line with most of europe.
When we got here we simply registered with the local mayor, Mairie, and got our Certificate of Domicille. We then got in touch with the post office to get a post box assigned to us. And contacted the refuse company for a wheely bin and had to be delivered as well.These two actions did require a french speaker.
We found our apartment here on Glocals classifieds, and have super landlords, we signed a normal French contract and have never had a problem.
Public transport from TPG Geneva has most of the commuter towns, even across the border connected. www.tpg.ch.
Well I hope this may help some people, who are thinking about the life as a Frontalier, or even already in it.
If you have any questions, fire away and I'll see what i can do to answer.
Final tip, when your settled in France, read 'A year in the Merde', can be amusing the observations that ring true.
All the best.
Kev