Moving to Ormont-Dessous needs planning like any mountain move: chalets, alpine roads, meadows and forests all around, and snow that can change a day’s schedule. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is best to think ahead about access and the season. Describe your project online: professional removal companies from the region, used to the roads of the Vaud Alps, will contact you with a free quote.
Ormont-Dessous, between Le Sépey and La Forclaz
The commune lies in the Ormonts valley, in the Vaud Alps, in the heart of the district of Aigle. Two localities come up often when people talk about moving here: Le Sépey and La Forclaz. Around them, the landscape is made of meadows, forests and chalets, far from the dense urban fabric of the towns on Lake Geneva.
For a move, this means a variety of homes: chalets of different sizes, village houses, and small apartment buildings in the more built-up areas. Each type of home raises its own questions: outdoor staircases, a private access track, attic rooms or a large space to empty. Mention them in your request, as they directly affect the crew, the vehicle and the time needed.
Many people who settle here come from a flatter or more urban area. The change of environment applies to moving too: you do not load a lorry in the mountains the way you would in a city centre.
Access, parking and floors in Ormont-Dessous
In the Ormonts valley, access to the property is the first thing to check. A mountain road, a tight bend or a sloping chalet track can stop a large lorry from reaching the door. In that case, the movers choose a smaller vehicle or plan a longer carry from the point where the lorry can stop.
Please include in your request:
- the width and condition of the access track, and where a lorry can park;
- the number of floors and staircases, both indoor and outdoor;
- whether or not there is a lift;
- bulky or heavy items (wardrobes, sofas, bedding, piano).
When the staircase is narrow or the rooms are on a high floor, a furniture lift can save carrying furniture through the house and protect the walls. In winter, snow and ice make carrying longer and call for extra care: allow extra time and clear the area around the property before the lorry arrives.
If the vehicle has to occupy the public road, for example a lorry or a furniture lift, a permit from the commune or the police may be required. Ask the commune a few days or weeks before the planned date.
When to move to Ormont-Dessous
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 your contract provides for longer. Customary dates vary by canton and commune: check them in your lease and with your landlord. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO).
Around lease termination dates, removal companies are in high demand: request your quotes early to have a choice of dates. If you want flexibility, a date in the middle of the month or on a weekday is often easier to organise.
As for the season, the mountains set their own conditions. Between spring and autumn, access is generally clearer and the days are longer. In winter, snow can complicate the journey and the carrying; it is not an obstacle, but it has to be planned for. For cold-season moves, our guide on moving in winter offers some useful pointers.
Formalities for settling in or leaving Ormont-Dessous
Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): your departure in the old commune and your arrival in the new one, within the period set by the canton. In many communes, you can register online through eMoving (eUmzugCH); check what the commune concerned offers. See also our guide on registering with the commune.
Next, think about changing your address: bank, insurance, employer, subscriptions, post. For the home you are leaving, schedule the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the return of the keys. For the new one, the rental deposit cannot exceed three months’ rent (art. 257e CO); it is paid into a blocked account in your name.
If you need to leave your home before the end of the lease, you can be released by proposing a solvent replacement tenant, willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO). For the family home, termination by a married tenant or one in a registered partnership requires the express consent of the spouse or partner (art. 266m and 266n CO). More information in our guide on terminating a lease in Switzerland.
If you are arriving from abroad or leaving for France, additional formalities apply (customs, residence permit): find out about them before the transport date.
Useful services for a move in Ormont-Dessous
Residential moving
For a chalet, an apartment or a village house, residential moving covers loading, transport and delivery. Mention the access and the floors so that the movers can adapt the crew and the vehicle.
Furniture lift
When staircases are narrow or the floors high, the furniture lift takes furniture in and out from the outside. It needs space to set up and, sometimes, a permit to occupy the public road.
Packing and unpacking
Packing and unpacking is valuable for crockery, frames and fragile items, especially as the mountain road shakes the load more. The movers can also supply the materials.
Storage
If your new home is not ready or turns out smaller than expected, storage lets you keep part of your belongings for as long as needed.
End-of-lease cleaning
Before the move-out inspection, end-of-lease cleaning helps you hand back a clean home, which makes the handover easier.
House clearance
A move is a good time to sort things out. House clearance reduces the volume to transport, which can also lower the transport cost.
Request a quote for your move
- You describe your move online: addresses, approximate volume, floors, access, preferred date.
- Professional removal companies from the region contact you, possibly for a visit, to estimate the work precisely.
- You compare the free quotes and remain free to choose, or not.
The cost depends mainly on the volume, the distance, the floors and access, any furniture lift, the packing and the date. Requesting a quote is free and without obligation.
Around Ormont-Dessous
If your project involves neighbouring communes, see moving to Leysin and moving to Aigle. For an overview, see the page on moving in the canton of Vaud or all communes. Wherever you are going, a move to Ormont-Dessous is best prepared with movers who know the mountains.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions: moving to Ormont-Dessous
It depends on the road and the access track: bends, slope, width and snow can limit the size of the vehicle. Describe the access in your request; the movers will choose a suitable lorry or plan a longer carry.
If the lorry, a furniture lift or a skip occupies the public road, a permit from the commune or the police may be required. Ask the commune a few days or weeks before the planned date.
Yes, but snow and ice call for more time and care, especially when carrying items. Tell the movers about the likely state of the access and arrange for the surroundings to be cleared.
Every move must be reported to the residents' registration office (contrôle des habitants), in the old commune for your departure and in the new one for your arrival, within the period set by the canton. In many communes, registration is done online through eMoving (eUmzugCH).
You can ask for a furniture lift, packing, furniture assembly, storage, house clearance or end-of-lease cleaning. Mention them in your request to receive a complete, free quote.