Practical Guide

Relocating to La Côte?

S'installer sur La Côte ?

Umzug an die La Côte?

Trasferirsi sulla La Côte?

Everything you need to know about moving to Switzerland's most desirable lakeside region.

In this guide

1 Residence Permits 2 Buying Property 3 Schools & Education 4 Healthcare 5 Banking & Tax 6 Transport & Driving 7 Daily Life 8 Why La Côte?

1 Residence Permits

Understanding Swiss permits is the first step.

Permit Who it's for Duration
B PermitEU/EFTA employed or self-employed5 years
B (non-EU)Sponsored by Swiss employer1 year
C PermitAfter 5-10 years in SwitzerlandPermanent
L PermitShort-term contractsUp to 1 year

Key note:B and C permit holders can buy their primary residence freely. Non-residents face restrictions (Lex Koller).

2 Buying Property as an Expat

How we help:We guide you through the entire process, from property search to notary appointment, in your language.

3 Schools & Education

Public Schools (free)

International Schools

SchoolDistanceFees/year
Int'l School of Geneva (La Châtaigneraie)25 minCHF 30-38K
Int'l School of Lausanne15 minCHF 28-36K
Collège du Léman (Versoix)30 minCHF 28-42K
ENSR (Lausanne)20 minCHF 25-35K

4 Healthcare & Insurance

5 Banking & Tax

Bank account

Tax

6 Transport & Driving

Perego Cars: Need a vehicle? We can help you source and register through our automotive division.

7 Daily Life

TopicWhat to know
LanguageFrench is the working language. English widely understood.
WasteStrict sorting — taxed bags for household waste, free recycling
ShopsClosed Sundays. Most close at 19:00 weekdays.
NoiseQuiet hours: 22:00–07:00 weekdays, all day Sunday
InternetSwisscom, Sunrise, Salt — fiber in most communes

8 Why La Côte?

Planning your move to La Côte?

We've helped families make Switzerland home. Let's start with a conversation.

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