It’s almost the end of October, which means it’s time to start planning for the ski season! Specifically: where should you rent your gear in Geneva?

Skiing is practically everyone’s default winter activity in Switzerland. It’s wildly accessible, and let’s be honest, there’s not much else to do when it’s cold and gloomy in the city! But the biggest perk? When you finally get up to the mountains, you’ll find the sun that’s been hiding behind the clouds looming over the city, and you can feel that seasonal gloom slowly melt away.

We did the research and put together a guide to the top places to rent ski equipment in Geneva and nearby France, highlighting some important criteria to consider that will hopefully save you time, money, and hassle.

• Should I do daily or seasonal rental?
• Where should I rent ski equipment?
• What ski equipment do I need?
• Top rental shops in Geneva
  • Decathlon Bladonnet (Vernier)
  • Intersport Aeschbach (Carouge & Balexert)
  • Ochsner Sports | (MParc La Praille, La Praille Centre Commercial & Balexert)
  • Locaski (Vernier)
  • Cactus Sports (Carouge)
  • Coquoz Sports (Eaux Vives)
  • Univers Sport (Servette)
• Top rental shops in nearby France
  • Lanches Sports (Ville-la-Grand)
  • Decathlon France (Annemasse, Val Thoiry)
  • Intersport France (Annemasse)
• Renting ski clothes
  • Intersport (Switzerland & France)
  • Cirkel Supply (Switzerland)
  • O’rentees (France)

Should I do daily or seasonal rental? 

You gotta do the math but it really comes down to frequency, convenience, and logistics.

If you are a beginner or only plan to ski <5 times = pay-as-you-go. 

For beginners just starting out and have absolutely no idea if they want to commit to the sport, stick to daily rentals. There is zero commitment, and you should just rent directly at the resort to eliminate the hassle of transporting heavy equipment.

🔥 Hot Tip: As a new adult skier, your first few lessons will be challenging unless you’re some kind of ski genius. It takes a bit of time and practice to get the hang of the movement and feel in control, so be ready for that initial investment of effort.

If you plan to ski more than 5+ times = rental equipment for the season

Save your money and time, and just rent you skis for the season. It’s much more convenient to have your skis at home and ready to hit the slope, rather than queuing at the shop and doing boot fitting every single time. The seasonal rental fees pay for itself in just +5 days of skiing.

If you have kids, definitely rent. Kids outgrow the equipment every year.

Where should I rent ski equipment?

Rental location is really determined by 2 main factors – transport and price.

• If you rely on public transportation, renting in Geneva is the best option. Everyone is always concerned about getting the best deal but no one ever tells you what an absolute bitch it is to carry heavy, bulky ski equipment long distances. Save your back and your arms—renting in the city, despite being slightly more expensive, is totally worth the convenience.
• If you have a car or access to a car, your choices really open up. For budget-conscious queens, you can consider nearby France for a better deal, but you’ll definitely need a car to lug it all around and return it easily.
• If you’re lazy and have the money to spare, just rent directly at the resort with zero fuss but know that you’re likely paying a premium for the convenience. 

Understanding the ski equipment you need

A standard ski rental package comes with: skis, boots, and poles. Rental shops categorise skis based on quality, age, and stiffness. Sometimes you’ll see different tiers on the price list, higher tiers offer better performance, and will cost more but are usually for more advanced skiers.

Other things you will need are: helmets, ski socks (need to buy), ski clothes (waterproof jacket and pants), and ski goggles. You can get away with using sunglasses instead of ski goggles if it’s a nice day out, but ski goggles offer better protection. Helmets aren’t always available for rent in the shops in the city, but they’re almost always available at the ski shops at the resorts.

Top rental shops in Geneva

Large national and international chains

1. Decathlon Bladonnet | Rte de Meyrin 171, 1214 Vernier (Centre Commercial de Blandonnet)
   Decathlon is a super easy option. A standard adult seasonal set costs about CHF 299.   You can enjoy a 20% early bird discount from October 4th to November 9th, 2025. You must go to the Bladonnet branch for the fitting, but you can drop off at any Decathlon in the city when the season ends. 
   
2. Intersport Aeschbach | Carouge & Balexert
   Intersport is the national sporting chain from Switzerland, and generally has more different ski models available compared to Decathlon. Intersport does not have a fixed seasonal rental price, as the seasonal rates vary significantly by location, age, and equipment quality – their staff told us to just go into the store to get a quote. You can only rent 14 days at a time if you reserve online.
   
3. Ochsner Sports | MParc La Praille  / La Praille Centre Commercial / Balexert
   Ochsner is another national sports chain from Switzerland that offers a variety of ski equipment for the season. A standard adult set for the season is around CHF 250 – you can check their full rate card for the 2025/26 ski season. Their early bird special is 10% from now until 11 November!
   
4. Locaski | Ave de l’Etang 57, 1219 Vernier
   Locaski is part of the Migros group and they offer a wide range of gear including alpine, touring, cross-country, and snowshoes. They focus heavily on in-store, expert fitting and do not offer online rental to ensure you get perfectly adapted equipment. Their seasonal rates start at CHF 258, and you can find the full rates here.

Local ski shops
These smaller, independent shops often offer more detailed fitting, truly personalized advice, and high-quality seasonal options. Pricing might not be as competitive as the big chains, but if you’re looking for better customer service or are an advanced skier who needs sophisticated gear, you should absolutely support local shops.

1. Cactus Sports | Rue du Pont-Neuf 6, 1227 Carouge
   I have heard many great reviews from friends that rent their skis from Cactus Sports, mostly for their outstanding customer service. They have a standard rate card but price varies for the seasonal ski rentals.
2. Coquoz Sports | Rue de Villereuse 10, 1207 Geneva
   Coquoz Sports are an excellent option for intermediate to advanced skiers looking for premium, personalized service that you won’t get at the big chains. They are conveniently located in the city center, you can check out their rate card here.
3. Univers Sport SA | Rue de la Servette 52, 1202 Geneva
   This independent shop specializes in the sale and rental of high-end brands. They’re best suited for experienced skiers looking for top-tier performance gear and also offer maintenance. Their adult comfort seasonal rental starts at CHF 180. Their adult comfort ski rental for the season starts at CHF 180, you can see their full rate card here.

Top rental Shops in nearby France

1. Lanches Sports | 9 Rue des Chasseurs, 74100 Ville-la-Grand, France
   Lanches Sport is highly regarded for their professional and friendly staff, competitive pricing (especially for seasonal rentals and purchases), and boot fitting services. They offer a mix of new and used equipment and often have a “rent-to-buy” scheme, which is great if you think you might want to purchase the gear later. You can see their rates here, for adult beginners, the prices start at €155 for the season. 
2. Decathlon France | 26 Rue de la Résistance, 74100 Annemasse, France & Centre Commercial Val Thoiry
   Ski rentals will start on 3 November 2025 at all the Decathlon shops in the Rhône-Alpes region. More details will be made clear on the packages and rates, but you can safely assume they will be more favorable than the Switzerland shops 😅
3. Intersport Annemasse | 14 Rue de la Résistance, 74100 Annemasse, France
   Offers rental services at more favorable rates compared to their Swiss counterparts, though online reservations are only available for 14 days at a time – you have to go into the store to rent for the season.

🔥 Hot Tip: Even if you’re skipping the slopes, these shops can still be useful. If you need gear for other winter activities, like snowshoeing or sledding/sledging, most of the places on our list will have that equipment ready for you!

Renting ski clothes

Is it possible to rent ski clothes (jackets, pants)? Yes, absolutely. Does it make sense? If you’re only planning to ski a handful of times, don’t want more clothes cluttering your closet, or if you’re a fashion girly and want a different outfit for the season, then yes! However, if you plan to ski often or partake in other winter activities (hiking, sledding), investing in your own waterproof clothes might be a better long-term option.

1. Intersport–  You can rent ski jackets and pants from Intersport Switzerland or France, which averages to about  ~CHF 10 per day for each item. Call up or check online in advance, as not every store offers this specific rental service.
2. Cirkel Supply (Switzerland) – This specialty company encourages rental over buying to reduce environmental impact. They are based near Verbier but are a service-first company: you order online, they deliver your clothes to your accommodation (or an agreed spot), and you leave them with the hotel for return shipping. I love the concept, and they have great reviews for ease of use and gear quality!

3. O’rentees – Outdoor Rental Experience (France) – For those looking to rent clothes in France, O’rentees is another great option with many wonderful reviews online. You can rent a whole ski outfit (jacket, pants, shoes, mask) for ~€26 per day. Similarly to Cirkel Supply, you place your order online to have your clothes shipped home or to a resort, and then send the clothes back with a return slip. They have a lot of brand name ski clothes, so you’ll definitely look fire going down the slopes. 

Did we get every single shop? Probably not—Geneva has a ton of little spots. We focused on the best mix of convenience (big chains) and quality fitting (local experts) in and around the city center.

If you’re a hardcore skier looking for something even more specialized, you might want to check out independent boot fitters (usually tiny shops that specialize in custom liners and shells) or specialist ski touring shops closer to the actual mountains. They often don’t have seasonal rental but offer the most precise gear for advanced maneuvers.

Otherwise, you’re equipped with the best list possible to get set up for the season. Now go reserve your gear, grab your thermal layers, and get ready to trade those city clouds for some SUN.

Have you found a hidden gem of a rental shop in the area? Drop the name and location below!