Moving in Winter in French-Speaking Switzerland: Tips

Moving in winter in French-speaking Switzerland is perfectly feasible, provided you plan for snow, ice and short days. The season is often less busy than the most popular moving dates, which makes it easier to find an available crew. The secret comes down to three things: clear access, protected floors and a schedule with some margin.

The advantages of a winter move

Winter is not all drawbacks. Outside the most popular moving dates, removal companies are generally more available, and you have a wider choice of dates. It is also easier to find a time slot that suits you rather than fitting into a fully booked calendar.

A few concrete benefits:

• More flexible dates: outside the end of a quarter, demand is spread more evenly.
• Less competition for extra services: packing, furniture lifts and storage are easier to book.
• Real time to prepare: you can sort, clear out and pack without the pressure of peak periods.

Bear in mind, however, that availability is never guaranteed: heavy snowfall can push back schedules, which is why it pays to book early.

Constraints to plan for

Cold and snow change the way the work is done. Here is what to allow for.

Snow, ice and access

Snow and ice make pavements, ramps, outdoor stairs and access paths slippery. This is a risk for people carrying heavy loads, as well as for the furniture. In the mountains and the Jura, a minor road or the road to a hamlet can be hard to drive after a snowfall.

Short days

Daylight fades early. A loading that starts late or runs behind schedule can end after dark, with lighting that is often inadequate in front of the building or house. Start early and do not plan an overly packed day.

Wet, dirty floors

Slush, road salt and mud come in on shoes and boxes. Without protection, parquet, tiles and stairwells suffer, and the letting agency (régie) or landlord may notice at the move-out inspection (état des lieux).

Items sensitive to cold

Some belongings do not cope well with time in an unheated lorry or on the pavement:

• houseplants;
• electronics, screens and devices sensitive to temperature changes;
• liquids: cleaning products, paint, drinks, cosmetics;
• musical instruments, especially pianos and wooden instruments.

Where possible, carry plants and fragile items in your own heated vehicle. Let electronic devices return to room temperature before plugging them in. For an instrument such as a piano, piano transport entrusted to professionals avoids a lot of trouble.

Preparing your winter move step by step

Good preparation offsets most of the constraints. Here is a step-by-step approach.

1. Check your lease end date. The notice period for a home is in principle three months to the locally customary termination date or, failing that, to the end of a lease quarter (art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless the contract provides for longer. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO). 31 December is often not a customary termination date: check your contract and local custom before fixing the date.
2. Book early, with a fallback date. Allow a spare day in case the weather requires it.
3. Clear and grit the access routes. In front of both the old and the new home: pavement, stairs, ramp, garage entrance, drive.
4. Secure space for the lorry. Check that a vehicle can stop near the entrance without being blocked by snow or a bank of cleared snow. If the lorry, a furniture lift or a skip occupies the public road, prior authorisation from the commune or the police may be required: find out a few days or weeks beforehand.
5. Protect the floors. Flattened boxes, tarpaulins, rugs or protective film in walkways, and a doormat or tray for shoes.
6. Heat the new home in advance. A freezing home is uncomfortable on arrival and can damage some items. Check that the heating works and that water and electricity are switched on.
7. Pack with the cold in mind. Careful packing protects against damp as well as knocks. Keep documents, medication and valuables with you.
8. Provide warm clothing and hot drinks for the people helping, as well as a torch if the day drags on.

What about the vehicle?

In Switzerland, there is no general obligation to use winter tyres. However, a poorly equipped vehicle can make its driver liable in the event of an accident. In the mountains, road signs may require snow chains. If you hire or use a vehicle, check its equipment. Professional movers must in any case equip their vehicles for the season.

If the schedule slips: storage

When the old home has to be handed back before the new one is ready, or the access road is impassable that day, storage can absorb the gap. Your belongings are stored temporarily and delivered once access is clear. It is also a useful solution when renovation work is under way in the new home.

In French-speaking Switzerland: what changes by location

French-speaking Switzerland offers very different winter situations, and a move is not prepared in the same way on the plain, in a city or at altitude.

• The plain and the shores of Lake Geneva: winter is often milder, but morning ice and pedestrian streets or streets with limited parking make access harder.
• Cities: the main issue is parking for the lorry and, if needed, authorisation to occupy the public road. Rules and deadlines depend on the commune.
• Jura and the Neuchâtel Jura: snow is more frequent and can last. In La Chaux-de-Fonds or Saignelégier, allow more margin in the schedule and have the access routes cleared of snow.
• Resorts and Valais valleys: in Crans-Montana, access roads, slopes and parking spaces can affect the organisation. If your home is an isolated chalet, read our guide to moving to a mountain chalet.
• Border areas: if you are arriving from abroad or leaving for abroad, road conditions along the route and country-specific formalities also matter.

Procedures also vary from one canton to another. Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants), to the former commune for your departure and to the new one for your arrival, within the deadline set by the canton. In many communes, the notification can be made online via eMoving (eUmzugCH). Customary lease termination dates also differ by canton and commune: your lease and the commune’s administration remain the reference. If a term puzzles you, the moving glossary can help.

Doing it yourself or getting help

A private individual can perfectly well organise a small winter move: a studio, a few boxes, furniture that can be taken apart and a suitable vehicle. You then need to deal alone with access, floor protection and the safety of the people carrying.

Once the volume is large, access is difficult (slope, outdoor stairs, snowy road) or you have heavy or fragile items, professional movers are the sensible choice. They have the equipment, the vehicles and experience of winter conditions. This site is a neutral matching service: you describe your move, and your request is passed on to removal companies in the region, who provide a free, no-obligation quote. To get started, you can request a quote stating the access, the floor and the planned date.

Frequently asked questions