Moving to Les Bois is not planned like a move in a city: a village in the Franches-Montagnes, surrounded by wooded pastures and not far from La Chaux-de-Fonds, it has long, snowy winters that affect the date, the access and the work of the lorry. Whether you are looking for a removal company in Les Bois or simply want to know how to move to Les Bois under good conditions, this page gathers the points to plan for. You describe your project online, and professional removal companies from the area get back to you with a free, no-obligation quote.
Les Bois: a village of wooded pastures for your move
Les Bois is a village in the Jura, in the Franches-Montagnes. The landscape is open, made up of wooded pastures, and the municipality spreads out around the village centre. For a move, this means you will mostly find village-style housing: detached houses, farms and rural-looking buildings, small apartment blocks, and sometimes homes set a little apart from the main roads.
This variety changes how you prepare. A house with several floors, a converted barn or a home at the end of a track does not have the same constraints as a ground-floor flat. Before requesting a quote, note the type of home, the number of floors, whether there is a garage or cellar, and how one gets to the front door.
Many residents work in, or have ties to, nearby La Chaux-de-Fonds, so a move between the village and that city is common. If that is your case, say so in your request.
Access, parking and floors in Les Bois
In a high-altitude village, the first thing to do is check the lorry’s route. A removal vehicle needs a passable access road up to close to the entrance. On a country road, a private track or a sloping drive, the size of the lorry and the carrying distance should be discussed as early as the quote.
A few points to flag to the movers:
- the width and condition of the access road, especially on a slope or soft ground;
- the distance between where the lorry can stop and the front door;
- stairs, indoor or outdoor, and whether there is a lift;
- bulky furniture, which may or may not fit through corridors and stairwells;
- snow and ice, which lengthen the carrying and call for extra care.
If the lorry has to park on the public road, or if a furniture lift or a skip is to be set up, prior authorisation from the commune or the police may be required. Check with the commune a few days, or even a few weeks, before the planned date. For upper floors or narrow passages, a furniture lift avoids carrying everything down the stairs.
Choosing the right time to move to Les Bois
Your lease is the first constraint. A tenant can terminate by giving three months’ notice for the date set by local custom or, failing that, for 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). Customary dates vary by canton and commune: check your lease and local custom before fixing the date. For a family home, the spouse or registered partner must expressly consent to the termination (art. 266m and 266n CO).
Around the usual dates, removal companies are generally very busy: asking for a quote early leaves more choice of dates. In Les Bois, the weather matters as much as the calendar. Winter is long and snowy: snow on the tracks, slippery roads, short days. If your date is set by the lease, allow a margin, clear the access if you can and tell the movers about the conditions. Milder months make carrying easier, but remember that a winter move is perfectly possible with some preparation; see our guide to moving in winter.
If you leave your home 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 details are in the guide to terminating a lease in Switzerland.
Administrative steps for a move to Les Bois
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 time limit set by the canton. In many communes, this can be done online via eMoving (eUmzugCH). If you are arriving in or leaving Les Bois, ask the commune about its procedures.
Also remember:
- changing your address with your insurer, your employer, your bank and your subscriptions;
- mail redirection;
- the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and returning the keys of the home you are leaving;
- the rental deposit for the new lease, limited to three months’ rent for a home (art. 257e CO) and paid into a blocked account in the tenant’s name.
With the French border close by in the canton, some moves go through France. In that case, customs formalities and, depending on your situation, residence permits come into play: find out from the relevant authorities before departure.
Useful services for a move to Les Bois
Residential moving
For a flat or a house, professional removal companies from the area can handle loading, transport and unloading. Residential moving suits tenants and homeowners alike.
Packing and unpacking
Journeys on country roads and carrying over uneven ground are hard on boxes. Packing and unpacking protect crockery, fragile items and furniture.
Furniture assembly and disassembly
In an old house or a rural building, passages are sometimes narrow. Furniture assembly and disassembly make it easier to transport wardrobes, beds and large tables.
Storage
If your new home is not ready or if the weather delays loading, storage lets you keep your belongings safe during the transition.
End-of-lease cleaning
The home you leave must be handed back in good condition. End-of-lease cleaning prepares the move-out inspection (état des lieux).
House clearance
A house, cellar or barn full of years of belongings is best cleared before you leave. House clearance saves you from moving what you are not keeping.
Requesting a quote
- You describe your move online: departure and arrival addresses, approximate volume, floors, access, preferred date.
- Professional removal companies from the area get back to you, possibly for an on-site visit to confirm the volume and access.
- You compare the free quotes and are free to choose, or not.
The cost depends on the volume, the distance, the floors and the access, any furniture lift, packing and the date. The simplest way is to request a quote.
Around Les Bois
If your move involves neighbouring towns, see our pages on La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle. For an overview of the region, see moving in the canton of Jura or all communes. A move to Les Bois is best prepared well in advance: the sooner you describe your project, the more easily you will find a date that suits.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions: moving to Les Bois
It depends on the access: track, slope, road width, snow in winter. Mention these points in your quote request so that the movers choose the right vehicle and, if needed, plan a longer carry.
Occupying the public road with a lorry, a furniture lift or a skip may require prior authorisation from the commune or the police. Check with the commune a few days or weeks before the move.
Yes, but winters are long and snowy in the Franches-Montagnes. Allow a margin in the schedule, keep the access clear and tell the movers about the conditions. A winter move simply takes a little more preparation.
You must report your arrival to the residents' registration office (contrôle des habitants) within the time limit set by the canton, often online via eMoving (eUmzugCH) if the commune allows it. Also remember to change your address with your insurers, your employer and your bank.
You can request packing, furniture assembly and disassembly, a furniture lift, storage, end-of-lease cleaning or house clearance. State your needs in your request to receive complete, free quotes.