I would like to find out how is it to live in Zurich vs living in Geneva area/ Nyon? Is life in the French part of Switzerland easier than in the German part? I speak conversational French and my German is at beginner level.

1) Is it easier to connect with Swiss French then with Swiss Germans and therefore build a nice circle of friends quickly?
2) Are there as many job opportunities in banking in Geneva as in Zurich (pre-crisis)
3) Is the climate better in the French part? These 6 months long winters in Zurich can be a bit depressing.
4) Prices of real estate?
5) International community, etc

Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

good luck with this - you need to be a lot more detailed in what you want/what you do/what sort of real estate etc etc.
best searching individually for these things on the forum elsewhere as otherwise its a 5000 word essay which is just somebody else's opinion.

p.s geneva is much better. there ive said it.

Here are some answers to help you:

1) Is it easier to connect with Swiss French then with Swiss Germans and therefore build a nice circle of friends quickly?
This depends on your language skills and willingness to be outgoing and make an effort. I have lived in both areas and they are both friendly in my view. Knowing French will help you further
2) Are there as many job opportunities in banking in Geneva as in Zurich (pre-crisis)
Many more banks in Zurich but dont know if that answers the question.
3) Is the climate better in the French part? These 6 months long winters in Zurich can be a bit depressing.
Slightly better due to proximity to mountains and further south but both get equally cold winters.
4) Prices of real estate?
Cant comment on overall price but 25% deposit hurts
5) International community, etc
larger in Geneva to guess based on number of NGOs but Zurich has large contingent from EF

DJC

i think its quite a bit colder in zurich to be honest and the averages confirm this...
everyhting else is down to the individual so its very difficult to help

I think you ought to start the 5'000 word essay on "How is life in (insert random Romandie town)" to get a head-start

Geneva is better.

+1

But I think this is totally upto personal preference. Try visiting both cities if you have not already, I think you will immediately (more or less) know which one you like.

You sure ? Shorrick lives there





just kidding, both are good but depends on your personal tastes.

geneva 3 - zurich 0

take that german folk

I don't think it's *my* tight-fitting pink cycling shorts that the local laydeez still giggle madly about.

True but as Geneva is surrounded by mountains (Jura to the north, prealps to the south), it is in a sort of "cuvette" (like the genevans like to call it) and therefore is usually more grey and humid than the surrounding region.

...At least that's what the genevans like to moan about. Because BTW the inhabitants of Geneva generally do like to moan about things

WHO MOANS?!!!!
Anyway if we are Genevans - what are people from Zurich known as?

Of COURSE we moan, we're nearly french, so it's part of our culture.

If you can, spend a week-end in both cities and try to do the same things such as using administration (i.e. post office, ticket desk/information at the train station), go to restaurants, go shopping, ask for road indications on the street, use the public transportation system, etc..: in all theese places you'll see immediately the differences revealing the major caracter of each city,its inhabitants, and the global quality of life there.
I bet you will know on the spot where you feel better, even if that would be a first general impression.

Bienvenue à Genève, Willkommen in Zurich!

PS. If you hesitate, choose Berne, it's approx. in mid-distance between GVA and ZRH

if youre going to sleep after dinner at 6:30pm youre at home in geneva.

You certainly must. Probably that's why you didn't notice we don't actually go out before midnight - to lure strangers in the impression of a sleepy city.

1) Depends on situations and your personality. Zurich is a more compact city, chances are that you are likely to have more friends quicker there. Zurich people are all able to speak perfect English, the French Swiss are more difficult in that respect.
2) Probably Zurich.
3) It is slightly better around the lake (Lac Leman Geneva) at low altitudes. The slope is south-facing so it is marginally better.
4) High in both, most people rent.
5) The International Community in Zurich is more English oriented than in Geneva. I love both but Zurich is cleaner and slightly more appealing. I live in La Tour-de-Peilz near to Geneva.

Flower you have to understand these are very subjective answers. Living in Nyon will be very different than living in the suburbs of Zurich though, in that case Zurich is better, even though Nyon is probably prettier.

Best of luck.
Etienne Botes

There is an interesting article in Le Temps today "Pourquoi Genève est plus cher que Zurich" (why is Geneva more expensive than Zurich) with a focus on real estate and lodging in general.

Here's the article:

http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/de92...her_que_Zurich

Good luck!

It's not one of the factors you posted, but just a little observation of mine after living in Geneva for almost 9 years: one thing I love about it is that it still hasn't lost its small-city charm. Despite having all the luxuries of a modern city (all the big stores, movies are shown in their original version, etc.), it's small enough to be manageable. If you want to take a stroll, you can walk practically from one side of the city to another in less than an hour. All the major neighborhoods are familiar very quickly. The times I've been in Zurich, while it's still very Swiss, it's undeniably a metropolis, with all the bad things that go with it. It's sparawling, and everyone just seems to be in such a hurry all the time. Every time I arrive in Zurich, I remember to speed up my walk a few paces.

Good lord, no. On ne mélange pas les torchons et les serviettes