Information about France

One special feature of GVA is that it has a French sector that allows its users to:

• check their bags and take an internal flight to a French airport without having to pass through Swiss territory;
• Check in baggage and take an international flight, except for charters and the following airlines:
• Air Canada,
• British Airways,
• Continental,
• easyJet (destinations other than France),
• El Al,
• Jet4you,
• United Airlines.
• reach neighbouring areas of France (Pays de Gex, Divonne-les-Bains, Bellegarde, French Jura range, the departements of Ain, Jura, etc.) easily;
• rent a hire car from a French agency;
• get tourist and transport information relating to France, at the "Accueil France" desk.

For security reasons, the terminal T1 is closed from 00:00 am to 04:00 am. The French sector is closed from 11:00 pm to 04:30 am. It is not allowed to stay inside during this time.

• Hotels near the Airport

If you can not afford a night in a hotel, we suggest you to contact a youth hostel.

Now that Switzerland is part of the Schengen area, anyone wanting to pass through Geneva International Airport (Arrivals and Departures) is obliged to enter Swiss territory and must hold the necessary documents to enter Switzerland (except when flying to/from a French airport - when the flight counts as a domestic one and provided they enter/leave the Airport via the French sector). If a passenger arrives from or in France via the French sector, documents valid for entry into France are also required.

From an international flight (except France)
On leaving the plane, follow the usual route for passengers.
Collect your bags from the main baggage conveyor.
Go through Swiss customs.
Go up to the Check-in level. On the Check-in level, follow the yellow "destination France" signs.

From a French flight
Disembarkation straight into the French sector (where the flight counts as an internal or "domestic" one). Exit possible either in France, or in Switzerland (go through customs): follow the signs on leaving the plane. Note that bags are delivered to the baggage conveyor in the French sector first. If they are not collected there, they are routed automatically to the main baggage conveyor!

From Switzerland
Access to the French sector via the Check-in level.
Follow the yellow "Destination France" signs.

From France
Access to the French sector is via the Ferney-Voltaire customs road.
Follow the "Aéroport secteur France" signs just near the Swiss customs post. Various routes depending on your starting point and access map (pdf). GPS address to get to the French sector: "Ferney-Voltaire, route douanière".

Arrivals

If you have hired a car in the French sector, you can reach the French sector, even if you land in the international one.

How to proceed? At your arrival:

1. pass through the passport control;
2. pick up your luggages;
3. go out in Swiss side like the others passengers (arrival level);
4. go upstairs to the check-in level to reach the French side;
5. cross the customs (on the right of the check-in hall, near the Air France KLM desks). Attention: you necessarily have to show your contract for car hiring.

Departures

For departure, you can bring back your car to the French side, do your check-in there (except for British Airways and Continental) and reach the international sector via the transit area.

Warning
If you rent a car in France sector but return it to Switzerland, your car rental company may charge you a fee.

Accueil France Centre d'accueil touristique T: +4122 798 20 00 T: +4122 717 82 75 F: +4122 788 00 82 Secteur France de l'aéroport - BP 12 01211 Ferney-Voltaire E-mail www.accueil-france.org