http://www.tcs.ch/main/fr/home.html

http://www.tcs.ch/main/fr/home/auto_moto/reifen.html

Call or stop by Touring Club Suisse.

Winter tires are not mandatory but recommended. Chains aremandatory on some roads regardless of the tire.

It depends how much and where you drive in winter. If you stay within the city/highway you can probably do without but if you go up the ski resorts a lot they gonna prove useful one day.

If you drive in snow/up just moderately you can opt for all season tires that you keep all year round and save the hassle.

I forgot to say that mix and match is not a good idea since you will probably end up with different brands and sime will be new and others used. You should change all 4 - sorry to be the one to break this to you...

With a 4 x 4 you can get a long way with all season tyres but it would be a shame when that big dump of powder comes down that you cannot get to the piste (with chains you might).  Another option is a tare place like Pneus en Gros, several workshops in Geneva.

They will supply store and chage your tyres for you (no need to buy wheels).  With an appointment takes half an hour.

Can't say for the Swiss law, but for safety reasons some other countries ban the use of different types of tyres or new/old combinations. 

With different tyres, you'll either spin - as in the whole car - or swerve, when you needed them to grip instead.. once tried, you won't do it again :)

We are saving lives here ;)

The law states only that the vehicle must be properly equipped for the road conditions and that the driver must be able to maintain control of the vehicle.  Winter tires are not specifically required.

That said, if you're sliding backward down a hill because your regular tires can't find grip, I would not expect any lurking police officers to view your predicament favorably or with amusement.

Second, it is widely believed that insurance companies, when handling an accident claim and determining fault, will also take a dim view of normal tires being used in winter conditions.

Kevin, using your current tire setup in the snow, I would expect the front of the truck to go where it's pointed and the back to the truck to try to get there first.

Thanks a lot everyone, advice taken on board will get all four wheels on the same level!! This winter tyre stuff is a new ball game!

Kevin,

driving with 2 winter tires and 2 summer tires degrades severely the stability of the vehicle.  You should get two more winter tires before stocks run out.

In case of snow or ice, winter tires or chains are mandatory in places even just a few kms outside Geneva (i.e. on the road between Ferney-Voltaire and St Genis-Pouilly).

You dont wanna be the douche without winter tires getting stuck and p!ssing off all the other drivers. Just do the right thing, plus you can drive around and laugh at those cheap skates who dont do it and get stuck. 800 bucks can get you some good tires + storage. I have a 4x4 its not that expensive.

WRS has a good show on winter tyres: http://worldradio.ch/wrs/programmes/autos/motoring-on-dont-be-caught-without-winter-tires.shtml 

Anyone knows how much garages usually charge just for the work of replacing my summer tires with my winter ones? I have the iron things in the middle of the tires, just need them mounted on the car. 

I was told it's CHF 100, but that sounds way too much. 

Do you have a separate set of wheels with your winter tires or do you want them mounted on your "summer wheels"? If you have full wheels it's gonna be 10-15 fr/wheel to have them replaced so 40-60 in total depending on the garage. If you need the tires swapped on the same wheels it's additional work and they gonna charge you for that 20-25/wheel so 80-100. Welcome to switzerland :(

Thanks Cata. 

100 CHF sounds like an average price nowadays. 

Pneus Claude used to charge 20 CHF/wheel + taxes -- four years ago.