Moving to Bourg-en-Lavaux: Vineyards and Terraces

Moving to Bourg-en-Lavaux is not like moving on the plain: the commune spreads across the terraces of the Lavaux vineyard, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its villages are built on slopes. Whether you are looking for a removal company in Bourg-en-Lavaux to leave a home or to settle on the shores of Lake Geneva, it is best to plan access well before moving day. You describe your project online, and professional removal companies from the region get back to you with a free, no-obligation quote.

Bourg-en-Lavaux: five villages united in the heart of the vineyard

The commune was created in 2011 through the merger of Cully, Epesses, Grandvaux, Riex and Villette. Each village keeps its own character: old village centres with narrow lanes, townhouses, more recent apartment buildings, villas and winegrowers’ houses overlooking the lake. All of it is stepped across the vineyard terraces of Lavaux.

For a move, this variety matters. An apartment in a building with a lift is moved very differently from a townhouse with a narrow staircase or a villa set below a track. The type of home, the floor and the access route determine the equipment, the number of people needed and the working time, and therefore the amount of the quote.

Access, parking and floors in Bourg-en-Lavaux

The terrain is the first constraint. Roads climb and drop between the lake and the vines, some village streets are narrow, and a large lorry cannot always stop in front of the door. State in your request whether the access is sloped, whether the street is narrow and how far away the vehicle will be able to park: the longer the carry, the more time it takes.

A few points to check before the date:

• the size of vehicle the street really allows, possibly with a smaller vehicle for shuttling;
• the number of floors, whether there is a lift and the width of the stairs;
• bulky furniture that will not fit up a narrow stairwell and needs a furniture lift;
• in winter, snow and ice on sloping access routes.

If the lorry has to occupy the road or a pavement, prior authorisation from the commune or the police may be required, as may be the case for a furniture lift or a skip. Ask the commune a few days or weeks in advance. The guide on the parking permit for moving day explains the procedure.

When to move in Bourg-en-Lavaux

For a rented home, the notice period is in principle three months for the date set by local custom or, failing that, for the end of a three-month lease period (art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless the contract provides for longer. Customary moving dates vary by canton and commune: check your lease and local custom. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO), and for the family home, a tenant who is married or in a registered partnership needs the express consent of their spouse or partner (art. 266m and 266n CO). The guide on moving dates in Switzerland helps you find your way.

Around the moving dates, removal companies are in high demand: book early and stay flexible on the date if you can. The season matters too: in winter, snow can complicate sloping access; in summer, the heat makes carrying more tiring, which argues for starting work early in the morning.

Admin in Bourg-en-Lavaux: registration, lease and move-out inspection

Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): departure in the old commune, arrival in the new one, within the deadline set by the canton. In many communes, the notification can be made online via eMoving (eUmzugCH); check whether this option is available for your commune.

For the home you are leaving, plan for the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the cleaning. The rental deposit, which cannot exceed three months’ rent for a home (art. 257e CO), is held in a blocked account in your name. If you have to leave before the end of the lease, you can be released by presenting a solvent replacement tenant willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO). The guide on terminating a lease in Switzerland recalls the steps.

If you are arriving from abroad, or leaving for France, additional formalities apply: customs and a residence permit. Check with the relevant authorities before the date.

Useful services for your move in Bourg-en-Lavaux

Residential moving

For an apartment or a village house, residential moving covers loading, transport and placing items in the new home. Specify the access and floors: that is what makes a realistic quote possible.

Furniture lift

In townhouses with narrow stairs or on sloping terraces, the furniture lift can take through the window or balcony what will not go up the stairs. It may require a permit to occupy the public highway.

Packing and unpacking

Packing and unpacking protects crockery, frames and fragile items during journeys on slopes. It also saves time on moving day.

Furniture assembly and disassembly

A large piece of furniture taken apart passes more easily through a narrow staircase. Furniture assembly and disassembly avoids unpleasant surprises on arrival.

Storage

If your move-out and move-in dates do not coincide, storage lets you keep your belongings between two homes.

End-of-lease cleaning

Before the move-out inspection, end-of-lease cleaning saves you from spending your last days scrubbing. Have it included in the same request.

Requesting a quote

1. You describe your move online: addresses, volume, floors, access and preferred date.
2. Professional removal companies from the region get back to you, possibly for an on-site visit.
3. You compare the free quotes and remain free to choose, or not.

Ready to start? You can request a quote in a few minutes.

Around Bourg-en-Lavaux

If you are hesitating between several communes on the lake, see our pages on Lutry, Vevey and Pully. For an overview, see moving in the canton of Vaud or all communes.

Frequently asked questions