Moving to Val-de-Travers: Valley, Snow and Access

Organising a move in Val-de-Travers means dealing with a sprawling municipality made up of several villages along the Areuse valley, and with long, cold winters. Whether you are looking for a removal company in Val-de-Travers or preparing part of the work yourself, it pays to know the access and the calendar before you set a date. This page gathers the points you need to move to Val-de-Travers under good conditions.

Val-de-Travers: a municipality of nine villages at the bottom of a valley

Val-de-Travers was created in 2009 through the merger of nine municipalities in the Areuse valley, in the Jura. Fleurier, Couvet, Môtiers and Travers are the names you will come across most often. Known as the home of absinthe, the municipality has no single centre: each village keeps its own character and its own habits.

For a move, this means the precise address matters more than the name of the municipality. You will find village apartment blocks, old town-centre houses, detached houses and, in some areas, more isolated buildings. A trip between two villages in the municipality is still a local move, but it can need as much preparation as a move between cities: each home has its own stairs, parking and constraints.

If you are moving from one village to another, say so clearly in your request. Movers in the region know the valley and can estimate the journey, the volume and the time required.

Access, parking and floors in Val-de-Travers

In the older villages, streets can be narrow and town-centre houses are not always designed with a lorry in mind. Before the date, check the width of access, the distance between where the vehicle can stop and the front door, and the number of steps. The longer the carrying distance, the more time and staff the job requires.

Newer buildings often have a lift, but not always one large enough for a sofa or a wardrobe. In an old house, a winding staircase can make it hard to get bulky furniture through. In such cases, a furniture lift going through the façade or the balcony may be the safest solution. State the floors, the presence of a lift and any tricky passages in your request: this is what allows an accurate quote.

Winter adds its own constraints. Snow, ice and slippery valley roads slow the lorry down, and a poorly cleared pavement makes carrying harder. Make sure you can clear snow from the entrance and secure the steps on moving day.

If the lorry has to park on the public road, or if you plan to use a furniture lift or a skip, prior permission from the municipality or the police may be required. Ask the municipality a few days, or even a few weeks, before the date.

When to move to Val-de-Travers

A lease is terminated with a notice period of three months for the date set by local custom or, failing that, for the end of a three-month lease quarter (art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless your contract provides for longer. Dates vary by canton and municipality: check them in your lease and with your letting agency (régie) or landlord. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO).

The periods around lease termination dates are generally the busiest: movers are in high demand and slots fill up. Book early, especially if you need a specific day. If you are flexible, a date in the middle of the month or on a weekday often leaves more choice.

The season matters too. With long, cold winters, moving during snowy periods calls for more margin: slower journeys, access to clear, and cold-sensitive items to protect. In spring and autumn, conditions are generally simpler. Our guide on moving in winter details the precautions to take.

Administrative steps when moving to Val-de-Travers

Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): departure from the old municipality, arrival in the new one, within the period set by the canton. In many municipalities, this can be done online through eMoving (eUmzugCH). The guide on registering with the commune helps you avoid forgetting anything.

Also remember to notify your new address to your employer, your health insurer, your bank, your energy and telecoms providers, and the post office. For the home you are leaving, plan the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the return of the keys. The rental deposit may not exceed three months’ rent for a home (art. 257e CO) and is paid into a blocked account in your name: it is returned to you under the conditions provided.

If you cannot meet the notice period or the termination date, you can be released by presenting a solvent replacement tenant willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO). For the family home, termination requires the express consent of the spouse or partner (art. 266m and 266n CO). More information in the guide on terminating a lease in Switzerland.

With the French border nearby, some moves cross the border in one direction or the other. In that case, customs and residence permit formalities are added: enquire early with the relevant authorities.

Useful services for your move to Val-de-Travers

Residential moving

Flat in a block, village house or villa: residential moving covers loading, transport and setting up. State the floors, access and the date you want to receive comparable quotes.

Packing and unpacking

In a valley where journeys can be long and roads sometimes difficult in winter, good packing protects crockery, picture frames and fragile items. You can leave it to professionals or do it yourself.

Furniture assembly and disassembly

A bed, wardrobe or kitchen gets through a narrow staircase more easily once taken apart. Furniture assembly and disassembly prevents damage in the stairwells of old houses.

Storage

If your new home is not ready, or if you are downsizing, storage lets you keep your belongings for as long as needed.

End-of-lease cleaning

To hand the home back in the expected condition, end-of-lease cleaning prepares the move-out inspection. Plan it before handing over the keys.

House clearance

Cellar, attic, outbuilding: after sorting, house clearance lightens the move and reduces the volume to transport, and therefore what makes the quote vary.

Request a quote

1. You describe your move online: addresses, volume, floors, desired date.
2. Professional removal companies in the region contact you, possibly for a visit on site.
3. You compare the free quotes and remain free to choose, or not.

The cost depends on volume, distance, floors and access, a possible furniture lift, packing and the date. To receive suitable proposals, requesting a quote takes a few minutes and commits you to nothing.

Around Val-de-Travers

Hesitating between several areas of the canton? See the pages on Boudry, Le Locle and Neuchâtel. For an overview, the page on moving in the canton of Neuchâtel presents the cantonal context, and you can find all the municipalities covered.

Frequently asked questions