A guide to buying property in Lake Geneva
This beautiful region shared between France and Switzerland blends an active lifestyle with vibrant culture. We delve into its prime locations, and what to consider when purchasing
Switzerland is a natural playground of outstanding beauty, the rivers, lakes and mountains offering a healthy, outdoor lifestyle in a country renowned for its personal and economic safety. Lake Geneva, shared between France and Switzerland and the largest lake in both countries, demonstrates this healthy lifestyle. The region’s mild climate and superb Alpine views has inspired artists from Lord Byron to David Bowie and brought numerous celebrities to settle there. It remains a favoured destination for international property purchasers today, with an appeal to global ultra-high-net-worth individuals that continues to grow.
“Mixing in with a new community can seem daunting and many clients have concerns when relocating but Lake Geneva is such an international location that integrating into the local communities is straightforward,” says Alex Koch de Gooreynd, Partner in Knight Frank’s International Residential team. “The key is to choose your location with care, taking into consideration work and education requirements as well as lifestyle.”
Villa for sale in the charming commune of Anières, Switzerland. POA
An elegant lifestyle
Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, administrative areas with the power to set their own local laws and taxes. For those considering a property purchase, these local variations should be considered carefully.
“Anyone moving to Switzerland purely for tax reasons can certainly find places in the country that are more efficient in that regard than the Lake Geneva basin,” Koch de Gooreynd says. “But I spend time outlining to clients that those locations may be no match for the Lake Geneva lifestyle. If you’ve been living in Knightsbridge or Belgravia for example and are accustomed to the vibrant culture, retail opportunities and restaurant choice of a major global city, relocating to a remote countryside or mountain location could be a shock. That’s where the Lake Geneva region wins time and again. You have the vibrancy and infrastructure of an international city with the added bonus of swift access to superb Alpine resorts.” Prime lakeside locations range from Geneva in the west to Montreux in the east.
Canton of Geneva
Reasons to choose Geneva as a base include the lump sum taxation regime on offer to those not actively employed in Switzerland, the excellent range of international schools in the city and the wide variety of property choices. That includes deciding on whether to live on the left or right bank of the lake, named not for their position on the map but on the direction of the water as it flows from the mountains to the city.
“The southern Left Bank is quieter, provides easy access to the city centre, the numerous international banks and commodity traders based there as well as good international schools,” says Koch de Gooreynd. “The west-facing aspect provides wonderful sunsets and you’ll find beautiful homes overlooking the lake with striking views of the Jura mountains.”
Prime Left Bank locations include Chêne-Bougeries, the central Vieux Ville and perhaps most desirable of all, super-smart Cologny. This is a very liquid, very international market but watch out for the steep hillside which means it is very difficult to find a flat lawn. Property prices in this neighbourhood, known as Geneva’s Beverly Hills, are around CHF 4,000 per square metre. A house without a lakeside view would start from CHF 6-7 million, those with water views start from CHF 10 million while the very best in class homes sell for over CHF 50 million. Look too at Vandœuvres, over the hill from Cologny so without lake views but a popular suburb.
In Geneva, the two bridges across the lake can both get congested, so Koch de Gooreynd advises clients who need to access the Right Bank regularly, to look on that side. “The plots are flatter and there are few lake views, but you can be ten minutes from the school and save a potentially lengthy journey in and out of the centre,” he says. “This side is closer to Geneva airport, convenient for frequent travellers. Do ensure to check out the potential for noise from the flight path and also the motorway and train line that follows the waterfront around the lake.”
4 bedroom villa for sale in Saint-Prex, Switzerland. Guide price CHF 31,000,000
La Côte
Popular villages that avoid the noise on the Right Bank, in an area known as Terre Sainte which stretches from Geneva towards Nyon, are Versoix, especially well situated for several international schools, Coppet and Founex. The latter, in the quiet countryside of Canton Vaud, is also the location of La Châtaigneraie, a campus of the International School of Geneva and a favourite with international purchasers for the convenience of the school and its midway setting between Geneva, a 20-minute train journey away, and Lausanne.
“La Côte is another rare region around the lake where you find properties with large gardens that spill down to the lakefront,” says Koch de Gooreynd. “It runs from just past Nyon up to Morges, taking in vineyards, farmland, mountains and charming, tiny villages including Saint-Prex and Dully. For many clients, it’s a good halfway house between Geneva and the ski resorts of Champéry and Villars. You can choose between lakeside living or, for better value and wide views of the valley, lake and Alps, head up into the lower slopes of the Jura, to villages such as Bougy-Villars.”
Around La Côte, expect to pay from CHF 2.5 million for a village house rising to CHF 4 million for a larger property with gardens and a swimming pool. Lakefront houses start at CHF 10 million.
6 bedroom villa for sale in Swiss Riviera, Switzerland. POA
The Swiss Riviera
The Swiss Riviera gets its nickname from the microclimate of Montreux, provided by the mountains behind the town holding colder temperatures in check. Non-Swiss purchasers are permitted to buy in this flower-filled festival town, and it makes a desirable location for a pied-a-terre.
“Montreux is an ideal location for a first step to owning around Lake Geneva,” says Koch de Gooreynd. “Non-Swiss buyers can own a property up to 200 square metres and typically would pay from CHF 1.5 million to 5 million for a home. The appeal is the waterfront town itself, a popular weekend spot for Geneva residents, with life all year-round, and also the proximity to the ski resorts of the Valais, including Morzine and the vast Portes du Soleil. Montreux is one hour from Geneva airport and one hour from the slopes of Verbier, a lifestyle that many clients find compelling while St George’s International School in Clarens is ten minutes away. Property prices along this Riviera are around half of those in Cologny.”
Keep in mind
Koch de Gooreynd has two final pieces of advice for potential purchasers. Switzerland has three levels of taxation: federal, canton and local commune. These can differ between neighbouring villages so expert advice is essential to fully understand ongoing costs and taxes of ownership.
Remember too, he advises, that the value in Switzerland is in the land and not in the house. It is very popular therefore to buy an old house and renovate and extend it to maximise the permitted construction on the plot. Beware, however, that planning and construction rules around the lake change frequently and external alterations might not be possible.
Let us help you find your perfect Lake Geneva home - contact our team for further information.
