Ethno Tente

Ethno Tente rents Berber tents for weddings and events throughout French-speaking Switzerland. The company says it has spent more than 20 years creating atmospheres with these tents, pitched with care and an eye for detail, and it works across Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel, Geneva and Fribourg, on lakeshores, in meadows, gardens, alpine pastures and courtyards. Unusually for a Swiss tent company, it publishes its prices.

What sets a Berber tent apart

The business rents Berber tents and nothing else. Its own FAQ says it offers only Berber tents, with a style close to a stretch or barnum tent, and describes the result as authentic and elegant. The fabric is waterproof and the site presents the tents as solid protection against both rain and summer heat, while the space stays airy and open. The home page pitches the look as an event worthy of the Thousand and One Nights, which gives a fair idea of the mood: warm fabric, soft natural light and a tent that becomes part of the decoration rather than a white box around it.

Color is part of the choice. The tents come in red or white, and the FAQ is clear that they keep their original colors: no branding and no custom covering are offered. For a wedding that is rarely a drawback, but a couple with a strict color scheme should plan around red or white.

The company lists the occasions it serves as birthdays, weddings, festivals and concerts, garden parties, company parties and municipal events such as markets and August 1 celebrations. For weddings it promises a romantic setting enhanced by the fabric and natural light. Its Instagram feed, embedded on the site, shows wedding setups in Valais and elsewhere in the region.

The three tent sizes and what they cost

Ethno Tente's range is limited to three sizes, each with a published price for 1 to 3 days.

• Tente 7×7, red only, CHF 1,090. About 30-40 seated guests. The site suggests it for small groups, an aperitif or a welcoming reception area.
• Tente 7×12, red or white, CHF 1,390. About 60-90 seated guests. The site pitches it for a meal, a ceremony or a company party.
• Tente 12×12, white only, CHF 2,780. About 120-150 seated guests. The site calls it a generous space for a wedding, a festival or a large reception with a dance floor, and mood lighting is included with this size. It can also be pitched as 22m x 7m instead of a square.

The two smaller tents can be pitched as a marquee or as an open awning. All three are anchored with ropes and pegs or to existing fixing points, which matters on a courtyard or paved terrace. Several tents can be combined into a larger space if the layout of the ground allows it.

Setup, crew and what the price covers

The price covers rental, setup and dismantling, with one catch that is spelled out openly. Two people are needed to put up and take down each tent, at least one of them an Ethno Tente installer. The second can come from the client. If you cannot provide a helper, a second installer is billed on top: CHF 400 for the 7×7, CHF 500 for the 7×12 and CHF 800 for the 12×12. For a couple flying in, who may not have a friend free on setup day, that supplement belongs in the budget from the start.

The FAQ adds that the company supplies structures, accessories and setup as a single provider. The site does not list which accessories it rents or at what price, apart from the lighting included with the largest tent, so tables, chairs, heating and flooring are things to ask about.

How booking works

The site sets out four steps. First, a personal conversation about the event, your expectations and the particulars of the site. Second, a technical assessment: analysis of the location, from photos or a visit if needed, to make sure the installation is possible and safe. Third, a clear quote followed by a contract with setup and dismantling dates agreed together. Fourth, on the day, the team puts up the tent and stays available so the event runs without trouble.

The company stresses one contact person from start to finish. Client reviews name Gilles as the person behind the service. The company calls itself a local and ethical business built on regional manufacturing, personal relationships and responsible choices, and adds that it would rather turn a job down than disappoint.

What past clients say

The testimonials on the site come from wedding couples, a birthday host and festival organizers. One couple who rented a Berber tent for their wedding the previous summer praise the warm atmosphere and the advice and service. Another couple used a tent for the reception and aperitif of their wedding and call it high quality, a real plus for the decor, and the team professional and attentive. The organizer of the Yadlo festival in Préverenges describes working with the company for several years. The site also claims hundreds of setups across French-speaking Switzerland.

What couples from abroad should know

The site is entirely in French and says nothing about English. There is no phone number or email address on the home page; contact runs through a quote request. The single-contact approach helps if you are planning from another country, but ask at the start whether the conversation can run in English.

The published prices cover the tent, setup and dismantling for 1 to 3 days. The site does not say what longer hire costs, whether travel within Suisse romande is charged extra, or how far ahead to book, so ask about all three with your first request, especially for a summer weekend.

Who it suits

Ethno Tente suits couples who want a wedding tent with character rather than a standard white marquee, and who are marrying in Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel, Geneva or Fribourg. The published prices make it one of the easier suppliers to budget for, and the range covers an aperitif for 30 up to a dinner with dancing for around 150, with combined tents beyond that.

It suits less well a couple who need custom branding or colors, a very large guest list on a site that cannot take several tents, or a supplier that brings every piece of furniture. The helper requirement is a small but real caveat for anyone marrying far from home.