Swiss SCHOOL & LIFESTYLE GUIDE A guide to the educational system in Switzerland and the best locations to live, created in partnership with Carfax Consultants. Welcome letter Switzerland remains one of the world’s most revered and sought after locations and it is no surprise as we explore on page 6; the country is consistently rated strongly for its high standards of living, excellent education, quality of life, a robust and stable economy and favourably low levels of tax, crime and poverty. Private individuals who are drawn by this safe and dependable environment regularly approach Knight Frank to seek our recommendations and guidance from over 12 years working across this market. The Knight Frank Swiss Schools and Lifestyle Guide was developed alongside Carfax Consultants and the collective knowledge from our network of over 13 offices spread strategically throughout the country to provide a comprehensive overview of the top private schools, plus a guide to some of the various lifestyle options available and information on how to purchase. The guide considers both clients seeking permanent residence (see pages 4 & 5) as well as those who desire a holiday home or just to invest in Swiss real estate as a non-resident (see page 12). The Benefits of a Swiss Education (see page 14) offers a unique insight by Carfax Consultants for those not so familiar with the variety of options on offer. The experience that Carfax can provide to help clients place their children within the right school is paramount to a successful relocation. We hope you find the information useful and if you have any questions, or wish to find out more about how our team can help you find your dream home, with great educational options close by, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you. Alex Koch de Gooreynd Partner, Swiss Residential Sales [email protected] +44 20 7861 1109 2 3 aking a permanent move to Switzerland is an exciting prospect: European passport holder embracing the diverse, active lifestyle, discovering the location If you are a European passport holder, you can apply for Permits B and It’s A Lifestyle Mthat best suits your requirements, finding the most suitable linguistic C, a process which normally takes around two to four months. Once you region, and, if you’re moving with children, finding the right school. are in possession of a permit, there are no restrictions surrounding what Switzerland’s stringent property regulations and rules regarding all you may buy. Choice: making residential real estate, known as Lex Koller, may appear daunting upon first impressions, however, with the right advice and guidance, the Non-European passport holder process can be seamless and rewarding. the permanent If you do not have a European passport, you can still apply for a Swiss The Swiss Federation is made up of 26 cantons, with each canton residence permit, but you can only apply for Permit B. This permit will governed by its own individual constitution and laws. Governments allow you to buy one property, with a maximum of 2,500 sq m of land. move to Switzerland of cantons set their own levels of taxation, run their own educational This process may take a little longer, around four to six months. systems and have different primary languages depending on their geographical location. When it comes to acquiring a property to be used as a permanent residence in Switzerland, the canton in which Switzerland is full of wonderful places to live, but finding a permanent you are buying will regulate the transaction. If you wish to relocate to location that fulfils lifestyle, work and education requirements can be Switzerland permanently, you must first apply for a Swiss residence challenging. Drawing on years of experience and unrivalled understanding permit. When applying for a residence permit, you will fall into one of of the country and market, we’ve picked our top areas for relocation. two categories: The Canton of Geneva The Canton of Vaud Overview Cologny Chêne-Bougeries Vieille Ville Overview La Côte Founex The Swiss Riviera A prominent global centre, the Exclusive and luxurious, Cologny A fantastic location for families, If you’re looking to immerse yourself Vaud is one of the largest Swiss La Côte is the region that stretches Founex is a typical example of a Running past La Côte from Lausanne French-speaking city of Geneva offers its 5,000 residents a Chêne-Bougeries is the first town in the city centre, while living cantons and chief producer of along the shore of Lake Geneva peaceful, green municipality in through Vevey and on to Montreux, is the second biggest city in sense of rural privacy while within outside of the main city of Geneva somewhere that retains a sense of wine for the country, bordering the from Geneva to Lausanne, filled with the region of La Côte, offering this beautiful stretch of Lake Switzerland (after Zurich) and a hub exceptionally easy reach of the city and has a wonderful sense of calm and community, the ‘Old Town’ north shore of Lake Geneva and farmland, vineyards, mountains and wonderful lakeside and Alpine Geneva’s shore is commonly referred for diplomacy and banking. Popular centre. Its beautiful lake views and community as well as a lovely, leafy of Geneva is the perfect location. encompassing the vibrant city of picturesque lakeside towns. There’s views with a high percentage of to as the Swiss Riviera. Enjoying a with working ex-pats, Geneva is villa-style architecture makes for green landscape. With a large Made up of cobbled pedestrian Lausanne. French-speaking and a host of renowned international foreign national residents. Its rural very agreeable microclimate thanks constantly growing and evolving, an idyllic and glamorous residential percentage of foreign nationals and streets and beautiful buildings within commutable distance from schools and universities dotted feel, combined with its proximity to to the protection offered by the with 90 new firms opening in 2019 base, with a number of highly- thanks to its close links to the city that date back to the 15th and 16th Geneva, Vaud has a number of throughout the area. It is often La Châtaigneraie campus of the surrounding mountains, the Swiss in the city alone. Taking a step away reputable schools nearby. and proximity to good schools such centuries, the Vieille Ville is the great residential locations that tick selected for its ease of access to prestigious International School Riviera boasts exquisite views, from the city centre, Geneva also as La Grande Boissière campus real historical centre of Geneva. all the boxes. the airport as well as the excellent of Geneva, as well as its proximity water-front properties and excellent has excellent public transport links of the International School of The rest of the city is within easy train network taking commuters to to the city itself, make for a popular transport links (approximately 75 to a number of highly-desirable Geneva, Chêne-Bougeries remains reach either via walking or public its two major cities. combination. minutes to the centre of Geneva locations along the left bank of its a popular choice for relocating transport, and the shore of Lake by train and around an hour from eponymous lake, close to some of families. Geneva is similarly accessible. the airport), this area is becoming the country’s best schools. increasingly popular with city workers who don’t mind commuting a little further. 4 5 Live life well in Switzerland It’s easy to understand the lure of Switzerland. Home to its own portion of the Alps featuring the iconic peak of the Matterhorn, the undulating Alpine region provides easy access to ski resorts while offering an exquisite backdrop to the low-lying lake areas, traditional towns and thriving cities. It’s not just the landscape of Switzerland that The appeal of Switzerland is proven by recent offers variation, the socioeconomic factors figures from the Swiss Federal Statistical Acquiring a property Education – Investing in the future Culture, location and leisure – of the country share their own desirable Office that reveal almost a third of adult Finding your place topography of highs and lows: consistently residents were not born in the country. Switzerland is divided into 26 self-governing Universally acknowledged as one of the top rated high standards of living, education, Knight Frank’s recent Swiss Insight Report cantons, each of which regulate the scoring countries when it comes to providing How do you find your place in a country that quality of life and work, a strong, stable found that purchasing Swiss property holds transaction of property within their area. a first-rate education, Switzerland has has so much to offer? Public transport is clean economy and favourably low levels of tax, enduring appeal for overseas investors, There are two distinct markets when it the facilities, resources and opportunities and highly efficient, therefore commuting crime and poverty. Switzerland ranks as one of despite the highly regulated procedures comes to buying property in Switzerland, that make it the number one choice for from beautiful lakeside or rural areas to the the top 10 safest countries in the world, even involved. According to the report, education governed by a rigorous overriding law known parents looking to invest in the future of their major cities is a viable and popular option its major cities are consistently voted as some is a key demand driver for people relocating as Lex Koller. Lex Koller has a number of offspring. A thirst for education is woven into for working professionals. For those looking of safest places to live – an attractive prospect or purchasing real estate, hardly surprising restrictions and stipulations when it comes Switzerland’s culture: birthplace and HQ to invest in a second home, the alpine region for families with children who are growing up given that the World Economic Forum named to distinguishing between categories of real of the International Baccalaureate, home offers the aspirational draw of mountains and and longing for independence and freedom.