French sector
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.
Opening hours of terminal T1
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.
If you can not afford a night in a hotel, we suggest you to contact a youth hostel.
The Schengen area
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.
Access to the French Sector: arriving passengers
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!
Access to the French Sector: departing passengers
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".
Informations France
Accueil France
Centre d'accueil touristique
T: +4122 798 20 00
T: +4122 717 82 75
F: +4122 788 00 82
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