Questions about Geneva---schools, housing, where to live

[Nyctoparis2011]

We may be making a temporary move to Geneva this summer with our two young children (infant, 4 years). Would love to hear people's advice about the following:

1. Preschools---any good bilingual schools for 4 years+? Montessori style?
2. Housing---any advice of websites where we can find/search for temporary housing (furnished)? If we move there it will only be for 6-9 mos for my husband's work. Want to start searching for something before we move if it is at all possible
3. Areas to live---where would people recommend living with young children? We have been used to living in metropolitan settings (paris, ny), don't own a car. Either want to continue with the same and find best setting in city itself near my husbands' work (left bank) OR find somewhere in countryside in idyllic location that would be good for children and easy commute. Want easy access to playgrounds, fun warm weather things to do! Also have 2 dogs so access to green space is paramount.

Thanks and happy holidays!

Hi there

I don't know Geneva that well, but you might find a few more responses by posting on a Swiss specific forum. I'd also post a more precise location of work (there could be a particular public transport route which would rule in or out certain places to live), plus bilingual Eng/Fr or Fr/Ger, as you could find both there.

www.englishforum.ch/forum.php

Also, look out for Mme Lindt. She lives in Geneva.

I have a friend who works at Cern in Geneva and she lives over the border in France as the prices in Geneva are expensive and rentals hard to come by. When I lived there as a student, we used to do our supermarket shop in France for the same reason - think it was about a 20 min bus ride away,

Hello.

I have been in Geneva for a few years so hope I can help a bit.

Public transport is pretty decent here (luckily cause the traffic is atrocious) so surviving without a car is not a problem, depending where you live.

We are on the left bank and there are some lovely villages either along the lake or further inland

While France is MUCH cheaper, you will find transport into Geneva easier if you stay in CH. there are some french villages such as Veigy that have bus service into the city.

Homegate is one of the biggest real estate websites, or check out world radio Switzerland for offers.

Your 4 yo would likely be able to go into normal school, they start at aged 4 here. No sure about bilingual - my dc went straight into local French speaking school which may not suit you.

Advantage of local school would obviously be no commute. I am not sure of bilingual / English schools - there is Ecolint - a friend of mine has her dds there. Bit of a hassle to get to if you live out of town.

Chene Bourg or Chene Bourgeries might suit you as is near Ecolint while still having a village feeling.

Take a look at public transportation maps, they show also bus and train routes into France.

www.tpg.ch/fr/horaires-et-reseau/plans-du-reseau/plan-du-reseau-peri-urbain.php

Hi

You've chosen perhaps the best time to come and live in Geneva, summer is wonderful. We live in Geneva, but on the right bank, so not of relevance to you.

I don't know the left bank very well in terms of housing/schooling options, but the area around Parc Betrand on the left bank is lovely, very metropolitan with streets of mansion blocks turned into apartments, overlooking a lovely big leafy park which is excellent for children. Geneva is known as the 'city of parks' and Parc Betrand is one of the reasons why. But it is built-up because it is very much 'in town', like the Upper East Side NY with central park on your doorstep. That might be more what you're used to from NY or Paris when you say metropolitan.

Mme Lindor mentioned the Chene Bourg or Chene Bourgeries areas, which from flying visits, I get the impression are nice although don't know them well. (There is a brilliant children's festival in the park next to the town hall in Chene Bourgeries called BimBadaBoum, every year in August - highly recommended. It is the epitomy of how brilliant Geneva is for children/families in the summer.)

If you type "montessori geneve" into Google, that will come up with a list of montessori schools and you can Google Map where they are. This one says it is a pre-school for upto 6 years old (bilingual) and located near Chene Bourg just on the Swiss side of the border. www.littlefriendsmontessori.ch/Pages/English/

I find the public transport here is superb, so even if you are living a little outside the main city centre, getting to work in Geneva centre shouldn't be too much of a problem. (Although they have just revamped all the tram routes and people are a bit up in arms about the new timetables/routes!). You can check public transport routes here
www.tpg.ch/fr

Hope this helps, will post again if anything else comes to mind.

oh, yes. That area is lovely. All of Champel is nice, actually. But popular.

I do think that property is starting to cool a little. The house next to ours has been empty since August. They have renovated the kitchen and bathrooms and it is a lovely lovely house, in a beautiful village, but it is still not let. It is quite expensive, although normal for Geneva area.

Hi,
The little villages around nyon are lovely - crassier, founex, copper. Cheserex etc.
We like mont Olivet and college Champittet schools...
Good luck

The GenevaMum.com website for expat families living in Geneva is useful - lots of info on childcare, schools, things to do with the kids:

www.genevamum.com

This site might be better for general moving to geneva, life in geneva and property etc,

geneva.angloinfo.com

I lived in Geneva for 3 years - pre children. My only comment would be that, depending on where you are coming from, it can seem very, very quiet. To be honest, the quietness and the closedness of it nearly killed me at times. You will either love and embrace that or want to counteract that. If I had had small children at the time I probably would have been more sanguine about that aspect of it. I chose to live as centrally as possible and even then had to get used to lcoal restaurants that were closed on a Saturday and Sunday. Carouge is a very pretty district close to the city centre (short tram ride into town) and has a few nice shops and cafes - that might be a nice compromise if you want somewhere pretty and quiet but very accessible to the city.

Hi, sorry to join in and derail (slightly)

We are thinking about Geneva as a posting for 4 years.
We have a 4 yr old and 2 yr old.

I've heard so much of how dull it is, but how dull is dull? Do you literally find yourself wandering around with a 2 year old on empty streets because everyone else is in an office or bank or embassy?

Is there a good social life between expats (I'm assuming there are many expats so also many sub-categories of expats)

Are there job opportunities for spouses? What do you do if you are a trailing spouse who can't get a job? (apart from scavanging bankers rubbish bins for leftovers!)

I'm still recovering from a posting that was sould-destroyingly boring and difficult. I am not prepared to even consider Geneva if it's going to be another Ivory Tower.

I was in central Geneva for a while. It's a truly international place so I don't think you would find an 'expat British' community like you would in some places but I'm sure you'd make international friends.

There's beautiful scenery, good skiing and it's well placed for travelling to other places at weekends, including a hop over the border to France. In comparison to major cities such as London, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong etc, well yes it will be dull and Sundays in particular were very dull and quiet. But it is much safer and cleaner than London and Paris for example and that has its advantages.

Hi Sue, thanks! I definitely don't want just an expat British community! (I am often one myself, so not intending to offend anyone here). If I'm abroad I'd like to meet as wide a variety of people as possible, to me that's one of the perks.

The dull Sundays are what scares me in particular. I just love living in London so much. I love the variety, the weird people you see on the tube, the fact that on a daily basis you can choose a different thing to do (even though I often don't get further than half a mile from my house most days!).

Anyway, Nycto, really sorry to hyjack your thread. Maybe I should just start another, but was scared everyone would be Geneva'd out and not answer!

I have friends that love Littlefriends Montessori and I love the Parc Betrand and old town areas.

Geneva is quiet and there is less to do than in London and Paris but I love it!! It's a little city, with things to do on a small scale. I drive way more than I would like to but we live in the county side and I wouldn't swap our views and our outdoors for the downsides of big city living.

There has been a significant ex pat presence here since the league of nations was founded here between the wars so in addition to the more recent tax haven corporation influx there is a long standing worldwide ex pat community. There is a huge amount of very wealthy people here and as an expat I do feel a little isolated from 'real life'.

Having said all that, there are plenty of children's activities, some cultural activity and huge possibilities for outdoor recreation. Also, lots of places to go within a few hours, 3 hours on the train to the centre of Paris for example.

I would say that compared to London anywhere is going to feel a bit dull.

Saying that, Geneva is fine for a couple of years. There is enough to do in Geneva and in the surrounding area to keep you busy for 3 or 4 years.

We have travelled around Switzerland, Zurich, Zermatt, Gstaad, Bern, Basel, all over the mountains, down to Italy to Turin and along to the Italian lakes, over to France to Paris and Lyon, Annecy and Albertville.

So what you miss in Geneva, you can find within a couple of hours drive.

We were in Geneva for 5 years and left to come to Brussels a few months ago. All my three children (12, 10, 7) were at a private bi-lingual school in Champel called Ecole Mosaic. They had two full days of teaching in French, two in English and, for the older two, half day (Wed) in German. Would really recommend the school. We were happy with it and the kids loved it. Really family orientated and a great parent network also. Sharp contrast to the schools in Brussels. We lived in Cologny which is beautiful. Rive gauche is a lovely area to the left side of the lake. Really nice villages. Rents are high though. We felt Ecolint was too big and too expensive.
The quiet Sundays without any shops open took some getting used to but then we loved it - a real family day where we took ourselves to the mountains to ski or onto the lake for swimming etc. Loads of outdoor activities for kids. Really safe environment. You will only find Geneva quiet late at night which is no bad thing. You will be in easy drive of some beautiful places. I envy you.