I would appreciate any advice on where you consider to be the best areas to live for a family moving to Geneva from Central London (2 kids aged 13 and 7).
Where we send the girls to school will have an impact, and school will be International/English .... but apart from that we'd like a little of what we have at home, on a smaller scale understandably. Restaurants, green space, close to good transport links, somewhere a teen won't be bored (shops and sports/pool/lake). Does it exist ?!
Depends if you can afford the best....
If you can think Collogny and that area, but rents can easily be in excess of Chf 15k (month)
We have shortlisted three schools but they are in differing locations. I wondered if area may swing it re: making a choice.
Versoix, Carrouge, Eaux Vives for example ...
1) School first.
There are waiting lists at CDL and Ecolint.
2) Housing.
Find a relocation company if you have the means, it will make your life easier.
Quickly jump on the flat/house you like.
Please consider a situation that is very different from the UK.
Here, choice is limited and there are many others looking for the same so it is the schools and the real estate agencies who decide who they take.
Versoix is ok, Bellevue and Genthod are better
Eaux Vives center is a bit "populaire", best to head for the better areas such as Cologny, Malagnou, Florissant, Chêne Bourg etc.
CaRouge (1 r, 2 rr is another town), no real opinion, don't know.
Carouge: some trendy parts, some drab tower blocks, visit and find the right place.
Eaux-Vives: one end is very much part of the city, the other has parks and the lake, it's the most urban and dense part but not particularly upscale, ie rents ok.
These are quick suggestions, best obviously to visit the schools and see what you think of them and then tour the areas and see what your budget says.
I'd echo the suggestion for a relocation agency if any employer will arrange this. They say there's a housing shortage in London but walk out of any train or tube station and you'll find agents offering hundreds of properties to rent and buy, come to Geneva you'll struggle to find the agents, let alone the properties.
* come to Geneva for the shopping, nightlife etc and you'll probably be disappointed, it's a far cry from London, Paris, Milan etc, it's sleepier than Frankfurt... but stunning in summer with the lake, mountains etc
We will of course consider schools first - and we are doing so, but as I say - our first few schooling choices are in very differing areas. We have arranged visits.
We do have a relocation agent as arranged through work, however I would prefer to hear from locals as to areas to perhaps narrow in on ......
Already, I fear that perhaps I'm experiencing what other ex-pats have warned about this all being a long way from the friendliness of home/London, which is a real shame.
Haha, yes and no, it's a villagers mentality from your perspective. You have to come here, be a good citizen, live for a while, gradually people will accept you and open up, but it takes months/years
Regarding friendliness, it's a different culture, thus friendly in a quiet, very reserved way.
You could join the International Women's Club in Geneva etc. There are many many places to make friends, in both French and English.
OK, I've never been at Euax Vives at night. The most closest to that was like 11 pm (does it count as night?) but the district was absolutely normal and safe, nothing to compare with any good London district at night. I lived in London for almost two years, it's a capitol of the whole Earth at one hand but a pit of the earth on the other hand. I just used to see the world 'selectively' whilst living there. Even when you live in the best regarded part of the town it doesn't mean that you don't get in touch with the tough life. In contrast in Switzerland, even in the poorest districts of any town people are behaving, of course I can't say I've been everywhere.
I can recommend generally Champel area - rents are not ridiculous as Collogny, its green with big and small parcs, tons of doctors, traders and other high earners are living there. You can get everywhere quickly (apart from the airport, thats +-30 minutes).
Lake is nice all year but swimmable for most folks 2-2.5 months a year (unless global warming props up things like it is doing right now). Very close to the lake the most accommodation sucks - noise, high prices, problems parking. i find it perfectly fine to walk to it in 10-15 mins, as do most people here (I actually often take a bus to the other side - Bains du Paquis for some bouldering straight from water and good cheap dinners).
Choose location based on school and work - you don't want to be crossing daily from one side of Geneva to the other (division is lake/river) - the bridges are too few and too often jammed (not for buses but for cars).
Our teen daughter has a great deal of independence here, so it is something to consider as we really enjoy her having that and growing/learning from it.
Despite the slight marking down, Eaux Vives ticks all the boxes as very popular with lots of independent family restaurants, unusual shops etc. Along the tram line and main roads it gets noisy but there are lovely flats off the main drag. Beauty is you can walk down to the lake, to beautiful Parc des Eaux Vives. Think Islington by the lake (When Islington was just about turning "posher"). Champel is a series of perpendicular roads with modern blocks, apparently very posh although personally I find it a little too soulless . A bit further afield, but close enough by public transport, Vésenaz, Vandoeuvres, Collonge-Bellerive are very nice, both close to the lake, and max a 15 minute bus ride to the heart of Geneva. Prices to match! Best is to go on the Geneva Public Transport website: http://www.tpg.ch/plans-du-reseau and look at any tram or bus line, how far you are from chosen school / workplace etc. and narrow down your research. We did the same, having our eldest who was 16 when we moved here, it was key to be on a tpg line.
Good point re: public transport for kids schools, my teen travels independently by public transport in London so I would be looking for a work/life/school balance that would permit the same in Geneva ....