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Voykit pocket guide · France
Annemasse
Stay 1 night in Annemasse as a cheap base for Geneva; easy cross‑border commute, walkable centre, bus ticket €1.40.
Annemasse is a small French town on the Swiss border, best used for a single overnight stay to save on Geneva accommodation while keeping the city within easy public‑transport reach.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–€65 excl. bed · Mid €65–€100 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire & ambulance 15 · SAMU (medical) 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at café | €2–€3 |
| Baguette | €1.20 |
| Bus ticket | €1.40 |
| Market fruit (per kg) | €2–€4 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GVA · Geneva Airport
- 30 min by tram/bus across the border
Typical fares
- Geneva tram to Annemasse (zone 210)
- ≈ €2.5, 30 min (check)
- Bus ticket within Annemasse
- €1.40, 1 h validity
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
City centre is walkable; single‑ticket bus €1.40 (exact change, Swiss francs not accepted).
See and do
Known for
- Proximity to Geneva
- Cheap French groceries
- Salève cable‑car access
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Geneva | Tram 18 to Bel‑Air, then tram 17 across border; about 30 min total | ≈45 min |
| Salève ridge | Geneva bus 8 to Veyrier‑Douane, then cable car on French side | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Hotel Atalante
- Rooms €76‑81, breakfast €10, check‑in 17:00, no air‑conRooms €76‑81, breakfast €10, check‑in 5:00 PM, no air‑con
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Pardonpardon |
| Thank you | Mercimerci |
| How much is it? | C’est combien ?say kɛ̃ kɔ̃byen |
| Where is the bus stop? | Où est l’arrêt de bus ?u ɛ l aʁɛ də bys |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Buy a ticket valid for French zone 210; Swiss tickets stop at the border.
- Bus drivers require exact euros; no CHF accepted.
- Check train schedules for cross‑border services (reopened 2019).
Generally safe; stay aware of pickpockets on cross‑border trams and keep change ready for bus tickets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Annemasse yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Proximity to Geneva
- Cheap French groceries
- Salève cable‑car access
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Annemasse official website: www.annemasse.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Annemasse, revision 5222694 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5222694
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/annemasse). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.