Moving to La Chaux-de-Fonds means dealing with the particularities of a watchmaking town in the Neuchâtel Mountains: large multi-storey apartment blocks, often without a lift, and long, snowy winters. To move to La Chaux-de-Fonds without nasty surprises, you need to plan for the stairs, the parking of the removal lorry and the weather. This guide helps you organise your departure or arrival, then request free quotes from removal companies in the region.
La Chaux-de-Fonds, a grid-plan town of large apartment blocks
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a watchmaking town whose grid layout, together with that of Le Locle, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This regular pattern of straight streets structures the whole town and generally makes it easier to find your way with a removal vehicle.
As for housing, the town is characterised by large rental buildings. Many are old, have several storeys and do not always have a lift. If you are a tenant, you will probably have to deal with a stairwell, sometimes a narrow one, and with furniture to be carried down or up by hand. Depending on your building, there may also be cellars or attics to empty, which you should not forget when estimating the volume.
Whether you are a student, a family, someone arriving from abroad or a small business, note from the outset the floor, the width of the staircase and whether there is a lift: this information affects how the day goes and the quote.
Access, parking and floors in La Chaux-de-Fonds
The wide, straight streets are an advantage: a removal lorry can often get close to the building. The real issue is the floors. In an old building without a lift, every heavy item (wardrobe, sofa, bed, fridge) has to be carried up or down the stairs. The carrying distance, the width of the landings and the angles of the stairwells determine the time needed and the number of people.
When the staircase is too narrow or the furniture is bulky, a furniture lift can go through the window or the balcony. It needs space in front of the façade and often a permit to use the public highway. The same applies to a lorry that has to park for a long time: ask the commune or the police a few days, or even a few weeks, before the date, so as to obtain the permit if one is required. Our guide on the parking permit for moving day explains the procedure.
In winter, snow and ice change things. Slippery pavements, access to clear, a vehicle to position carefully: allow more time and tell the movers about the season in advance when you make your request. Also think about protecting floors and stairwells, which get wet when snow is carried in on shoes.
Choosing the right time to move to La Chaux-de-Fonds
To leave a home, the tenant must observe the three-month notice period 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 a longer period. Customary dates vary by canton and commune: check your lease and local custom. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO). Our guide to terminating a lease in Switzerland sets out the steps.
The periods around lease termination dates are generally very busy: removal companies get booked up faster, so it is best to request your quotes early. Moving outside these peaks can give you more flexibility on the date.
The season also matters in the Neuchâtel Mountains. Winters are long and snowy: moving in the depths of winter is perfectly possible, but it requires a margin for unforeseen problems on the road and at access points. Spring and autumn often offer simpler conditions, while summer allows you to work in good light and on dry ground.
Formalities in La Chaux-de-Fonds: lease, registration, address
Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): departure in the former commune, arrival in the new one, within the period set by the canton. In many communes, the notification can be made online through eMoving (eUmzugCH). Our guide on registering with the commune takes you through this step.
Then remember to give your new address: bank, insurers, employer, subscriptions, post. For the family home, notice given by a tenant who is married or in a registered partnership requires the express consent of the spouse or partner (art. 266m and 266n CO). If you cannot meet the notice period or the termination date, you can be released by putting forward a solvent replacement tenant who is willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO).
On leaving, the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the handover of the home require an empty, clean flat. On moving in, the rental deposit cannot exceed three months’ rent (art. 257e CO) and it is paid into a blocked account in your name. As the French border is close in the canton, a move to France or an arrival from abroad adds customs and residence permit formalities: find out about them before fixing the date.
Useful services for moving to La Chaux-de-Fonds
Residential moving
For a flat in a large building, residential moving remains the basic option: loading, transport, unloading. State the floors and the lift in your request so that the movers size the team accordingly.
Furniture lift
In multi-storey buildings without a lift, a furniture lift saves you from struggling with narrow stairs for bulky pieces. It needs a stable position in front of the façade, which is all the more important to watch in snowy conditions.
Packing and unpacking
Packing and unpacking protects crockery, frames and fragile items while they are carried down the stairs. It is useful if you are short of time before the lease termination date.
End-of-lease cleaning
End-of-lease cleaning prepares the handover of the home and the move-out inspection. Consider it if you are leaving a large, old flat.
Storage
Between two homes, or if the new one is smaller, storage lets you keep your belongings for as long as necessary.
Clearance
Before leaving, the clearance of a cellar, an attic or unwanted furniture lightens the load and simplifies the day.
Requesting a quote
- You describe your move online: addresses, volume, floors, lift, preferred date.
- Professional removal companies in the region contact you, possibly for a visit to the premises.
- You compare the free quotes and remain free to choose.
The cost depends on the volume, the distance, the floors and access, the use of a furniture lift, packing and the date. To obtain quotes suited to your situation, you can request a quote.
Around La Chaux-de-Fonds
If your project involves neighbouring communes, see the pages for Le Locle, Les Bois and Val-de-Ruz. For a broader overview, the page on moving in the canton of Neuchâtel presents the region, and you can find all the communes we cover.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions: moving to La Chaux-de-Fonds
Many large rental buildings are old, have several storeys and do not always have a lift. State the floor and the width of the staircase in your request. The movers can then plan a suitable team, or even a furniture lift.
Using the public highway for a lorry, a furniture lift or a skip may require prior permission from the commune or the police. Ask a few days or weeks before the date. The movers can also advise you on how to proceed.
Yes, but winters are long and snowy. Snow and ice can slow down carrying and access. Allow a time margin and mention the season in your request.
Report your departure in the former commune and your arrival in the new one to the residents' registration office (contrôle des habitants), within the period set by the canton. In many communes, eMoving (eUmzugCH) lets you do this online. Then remember to give your new address.
You describe your move online: addresses, volume, floors, date. Professional removal companies in the region contact you, possibly for a visit. Quotes are free and without obligation.