I recently moved to Geneva. Am from the UK originally, although have landed in Geneva via Dubai.
Having lived in London and Dubai, I am taken aback by the costs of basic items in Geneva, and so am trying to work out ways to reduce some costs.
I understand shopping in France is one such way - in particular I want to be able to purchase some meat in France (beef / lamb etc). The daily allowance is 500g? Is that correct?
And how likely is it that you will be checked at the border crossings?
Which border crossings are best? And where do people recommend for shopping in France? I also need to see if I can get kosher or halal meat over there - any ideas?
The daily allowance is 500 grams per day per person.
You may of course choose to break the law and import meat illegally but this is not a great way to integrate in a new country...
Why not buy meat in Switzerland? With a Swiss salary (you must have been lured by this...) you should afford Swiss meat...
I am myself Swiss and sometimes buy meat and food in general in France but seeing high-paid expats coming here and buying everything abroad makes me somehow nervous I have to confess. Sounds like we don't always attract the right kind of people.
It's 20 CHF tax per each kg over your allowance, but only if you declare. If you don't, and they find meat in excess of said allowance, it is 40CHF per kilo + a huge fine and possible prosecution if you are way over the limit.
There are regular patrols and checks, not only at the border, but on the roads, large and small, all around, any time of the day or night. You might get lucky - or you might be stung big time. We have one wo/manned border crossing near here, and several non wo/manned- and it seems more people get caught at the un wo/manned ones than the others, recently. Bonne chance.
I hate to tell you, but, if you buy supermarket meat in France it will be 30,40,50 % cheaper than Switzerland but nowhere near in quality. And if you shop smart you can get 25/50 % reductions at Coop/Migros so shopping in France is really not worth it IMHO.
Note that chicken, turkey, duck, venison and rabbit all come under the 3.5kg limit and there is no limit on fish. Cooked beef, lamb and pork come under the 3.5kg allowance too.
I shop in France from time to time because I can get cuts of rabbit and lamb which I just can't get here. All the French supermarkets near Basel have a halal section, so I'm sure you'll be fine near Geneva.
I've seen spot-checks at every border crossing I've used round here, and I really doubt it's worthwhile cheating the system. If you buy the meats in the 3.5kg category, you should have plenty to last you between cross-border trips
Doesn't seem to bother the Swiss in Basel. Sounds like maybe the wrong kind of people were born here.
This is true. That's why we buy meat in Germany (as do the French); the quality is variable, but cheaper than France, usually. Swiss meat is usually very very good - I didn't know pork had a taste until I came here - so we get it when we can afford it/it's reduced enough.
advising people not to break the law, fair enough.
Telling/ judging someone they should buy their meat in Switzerland because of their (assumed?) big salary while you buy in France, leave it out.
People can buy their stuff where they want. The support local business argument on this forum gets pathetic.
You're worried about the quality of Expats? Its a global economy and Switzerland has no problem encouraging other country businesses/ rich folk here with their smart taxation policies but when someone wants to do the opposite (use the benefit across the border) you're concerned?
Ive never gone over the border because I value my time. Not a moral decision but please get off your soap box telling people how they should spend their salaries.
The day I can walk into my local Coop and buy venison, boar, goat, live fish, decent cheeses, & fresh unusual vegetables, is the day I will stop reccommending people go to France for their shopping.
The meat in Switzerland is not particularly good quality unless you buy at Manor or a local butcher. The selection is appalling for such a rich country. Why does a remote corner of France offer such a good selection to ex-pats, when Switzerland cannot?
I find your attitude typically local Ostritch: "head in the sand" (It must be better here as it's more expensive than over there!)
not to put to fine a line under it but I am a white middle aged man and in 12years living here I can count on one hand the number of times I've been checked.
a Jamaican colleague tells me she is stopped and checked at least twice a month.
I find we get stopped more when we go through the non border as they have the spot checks everywhere than the official border. I think it is pot luck we have been stopped 3-4 times in a year... 2 times at the unofficial border.
The carrerfour definately has a halal selection of meat lamb, chicken etc
Well I am Swiss, but not on a fat Swiss salary, but a UK pension which has lost a huge amount of its value since we moved here 3 years ago. And as my nearest supermarket is in France - I have no qualms in shopping in France for part of our weekly shop. Meat however is often poor quality- and the husbandry/feeds/transport/slaughter of questionable quality too. I prefer to eat less meat, of better quality including the above, personally. Our local butcher (well he is Portuguese/Italian) is expensive, but the quality is brilliant and he can tell you the history of the meat/beast, always locally sourced, and will cut and prepare anything for you, and will of course hang a rib of beef a bit longer, if you ask him. Big smile too and very friendly.
But yes, we do support our local grocer's. They give invaluable service to the locals, especially the elderly. They are opened very long hours, from 6am to 7pm, and every Sunday from 6 to 12. Very friendly, couldn't do more for you and always with a smile - and they have excellent soft, moist brown sugar. Hurrah for the Studer family.