Enterprise Geneva Airport-French Side

Kath_S

I booked a meduim size car for one week from Enterprise Geneva airport- French side. On arrival in Jan 2018 I am informed they do not supply hire cars with winter tyres as it is not illegal in France? There had been heavy snow, so I asked about snow chains. These are available for purchase only at 58 euros- so felt I had to buy them. In the event they were unused and unopened but Enterprise will not refund the money.
Enterprise said all car hire firms in France don't use winter tyres- Is this true?
Any advice?

richardw

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/winter/

waamo

There is no legal requirement for winter tyres in France. There is in Switzerland. Personally having hired in Geneva a fair few times I find it easier hiring from the Swiss side.

Macadamia

waamo wrote: »

There is no legal requirement for winter tyres in France. There is in Switzerland. Personally having hired in Geneva a fair few times I find it easier hiring from the Swiss side.

Waamo - it is easier hiring from the Swiss side, as you get a motorway sticker and the option of winter tyres, and an easier return. BUT - it can be so very much more expensive that I choose a French side hire.

Macadamia

Kath_S wrote: »

..... they do not supply hire cars with winter tyres ......
.... There had been heavy snow, so I asked about snow chains. These are available for purchase only at 58 euros.
Enterprise said all car hire firms in France don't use winter tyres- Is this true?

I have hired cars in France with winter tyres – but as a paid for option (either pre-booked or offered at the desk) rather than automatically provided.

Also I used to hire snow chains with cars picked up from French and Swiss sectors in Geneva. Then I found it was cheaper to pick up my own from French supermarkets, and either ditch them, or, if they were a useful size, take them home.

This approach, of course, only works if you arrive to clear roads.

Enterprise hire snow chains (@ c35 Euros a week) I am puzzled why they ‘sold’ them to you. That's the question I would be asking them.

jimbo6977

if you hire a swiss registered car on the swiss side of geneva or basel airports and drive it into france, french customs could charge you 20% VAT on the "import" of the car. That's 20% of the car's value, not of your car hire bill.

Meggiehah

Has this happened to you jimbo6977??? We!!!8217;re about to do exactly that - hire a car at GVA to drive into France - at half term!

waamo

jimbo6977 wrote: »

if you hire a swiss registered car on the swiss side of geneva or basel airports and drive it into france, french customs could charge you 20% VAT on the "import" of the car. That's 20% of the car's value, not of your car hire bill.

That’s sent my bull poo meter off the scale. I’ve never had any problem at all.

What about people who do the crossing daily do they get charged every time they cross?

Do you have any evidence this is true?

lfc321

waamo wrote: »

That’s sent my bull poo meter off the scale. I’ve never had any problem at all.

What about people who do the crossing daily do they get charged every time they cross?

Do you have any evidence this is true?

Yes. Total nonsense.

Meggiehah

Reassuring to hear! Loads of people must cross the border everyday, as you say waamo.