Just a quick question......what is a cave? Thanks
Hi
It's a cellar.
That was quick! Thanks for the reply. Is a cave for ground floor apartments only as i'm pretty sure i've seen it mentioned for higher floors. Is a cave normally shared by people living in all the apartments?
Also what do 'placards' and a 'box' refer to? Is the 'box' a small room?
Nice question!
In French, as Mag suggests, it is a cellar.
In English (although presumably you knew this) it is a large underground chamber, typically of natural origin .
A typical basement in a Swiss multi-family dwelling is sub-divided and each apartment is allocated one specific "compartment" of the basement that can be locked.
Will i have enough room to fit 2 bikes in the cave or are the compartments split into smaller spaces?
Usually each apartment will have their own cave (with the facility to lock it up), found in the basement/ground floor of the building.
I have a top floor apartment and as such, am lucky to have two "caves"... one in the basement and also one in the actual apartment, although in my case, it's more like a an attic!
We also have a shared bike shed.
Placards, by definition, are wall cupboards.
Well that all depends on the size, I've had places with very small basement areas and others were quite large..
and a box?
you will have to check yourself when viewing an apartment. some people have very large caves, enough to store loads of bikes, and others, just enough space to store one.
Also, it's worth asking if there is a bike shed on site.
One of those words
It has become a joke at the reception where I work. When a native English speaker comes and asks for the key to the basement where the archives are, s/he always goes, Could I have the key to the cave please !!! Gives us a good laugh every time.
"Cave" is normally a storage locker that is located in the basement of the building. Most apartments will be rented with a cave. It is normally used for storing "junk" that you do not want in your apt. or on the balcony. For example, your suitcases. You can lock it.
"Box" is normally used to describe an indoor parking spot that has a garage door that can be closed/locked . Some older buildings will still have this system. This is different from a "place de parc intérieur" which is just a marked parking spot in an indoor garage.
Funny As long as i don't have to live in one! Judging by property prices in Geneva i may have to
A box is a closed parking space (with a door and a lock), usually in an underground parking. It is more expensive than just a parking space.
Virtually every flat in Geneva comes with a cellar. They tend to be around 5 m2 in size, but can be bigger. In some buildings you also have separate bike storage space next to the lift, so you do not have to keep your bike in the cellar.