In December 2008, two days before Christmas Eve, the long awaited LIANE (Liaison Annecy Nord Express) opened its doors to motorists. A stretch of road 19.7 km long, ie. about a 30-minute drive, and there you are, in Geneva. The authorities expected 23,000 vehicles per day. Rather than opting for one town or the other, some users are opting for living between the two.

The “Venice of the Alps”, home to 51,120 inhabitants, is now a first-class tourist destination thanks to the lake, canals, marina and three beaches, not forgetting the industrial area, proudly represented by Entremont, Pechiney and SNR. Sandwiched between the Alps and the Jura, at the far western end of Switzerland and Lake Lehman, Geneva and its population of 189,450 boasts 765 acres of parkland and 200 international governmental and non-governmental organizations. It is also the country’s second largest financial centre, Europe’s third behind London and Zurich. Every day, those living on the border - or commuters - go to earn Swiss salaries, often more generous than those in France. Some couples also share out their activities between the powerful Swiss city and activity zones in “département 74”. An address between Annecy and Geneva therefore seems entirely logical. Solange Perrin-Confort Depollier and Sandrine Colombel of the four year-old agency Perrin-Confort Immobilier in fact focus on the area known as “Le Genevois”, between Annemasse and Valleiry via Saint-Julien, Collonges-sous-Salève and Archamps. 80 % of the buyers here work in Switzerland. The popularity of Saint-Julien is partly explained by its proximity to the business capital and the presence of the border crossing. In fact, many people want to reduce their daily commuting, time spent in the car as well as the cost. Here, 1 bedroom apartments range from 160,000 to 180,000 €, 2 bedrooms from 230,000 to 260,000 €, 3 bedrooms from 260,000 to 380,000 €, and houses from 350,000 to 1 million euros, exceptions aside. More remote, Viry and Valleiry post lower prices. In need of a lick of paint, a home of 100 m2 will cost, for example, around 250,000 €. The Vitam’Parc leisure complex contributes to the appeal of Neydens. Two new semi-detached houses have just found buyers at 3,500 €/m2, just three weeks after being placed on the market.

“Only 20 minutes from Geneva, Messery offers a peaceful, rural setting, a satisfactory range of amenities and stunning views of Lake Geneva,” says Karine Berruyer of Life Style Immobilier. Generally armed with comfortable budgets, fans of lakeside properties can afford 700,000 € for a lovely 4-bedroom apartment (150 m2 minimum) overlooking the expanse of water, 900,000 to 1.5 million euros for a luxury villa, a segment that can attain 4 million euros. At Vétraz-Monthoux, scenic views of Mont Blanc replace those of the lake. Prices are slightly lower, but still 10 % higher compared with those in the Annecy bassin. While people living in Messery look towards Geneva, those in Vétraz, Bossey and Collonges can possibly find employment in the capital of Upper Savoy. It is an area often wrongly criticized : the Gaillard area near the customs of Moillesulaz and its village atmosphere are certainly worth a visit. Generally speaking, housing in Le Genevois proposes an excellent level of appointments. “The only downside is the shortage of properties. Demand frequently outweighs supply,” resume the managers of the Perrin-Confort agency. Convinced that the time is well chosen to take the plunge - thanks in part to exceptionally low interest rates -, they point to a similar bill over towards Annecy. Recently, a new development by the name of “Covaz”, on the commune of Cuvat, not far from the town and the LIANE link road, is attracting buyers at 3,000 €/m2 without much difficulty. If enthusiasm for the area is in no doubt, prices never attain those of Geneva. The same development would have been priced at 3,700 €/m2 over towards Saint-Julien. To summarize, the region between Annecy and Geneva is as diverse as it is dynamic.