The Collectors Garage

The Collectors Garage is a private collection of pre-war and classic cars based at Chemin de Riantbosson 19 in Meyrin, Geneva, which hires its vehicles out for weddings, film shoots, exhibitions and road trips. The site gives the collection as 20 cars, the oldest from 1935, and serves French-speaking Switzerland and neighboring France. Its historic cars go out with an experienced chauffeur or for display; only a small, easy car is offered for self-drive. With published starting prices, an English version of the site and wedding decoration included in the service, it is well set up for an international couple marrying around Geneva.

The collection

The home page frames the collection with a line that sums up its attitude: "We don't rent cars, we entrust pieces of heritage." Each car, it says, was chosen for its character and provenance, and it mentions an ambassador's Wraith, a limousine of royal families and the icon of 1950s America. A timeline shows a 1935 Rolls-Royce Saloon, a 1938 Alvis Speed 25, a 1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith, a 1957 Thunderbird, a 1965 Silver Cloud III and a 1973 Citroën Dyane.

Six cars are presented in more detail, each with its body style, country and the occasions it suits:

• Alvis Speed 25 SB Drophead Bertelli, 1936, a drophead coupé the site calls unique, "the only 'parallel-door' Drophead Coupé, bodied by Bertelli", tagged for weddings, display and film
• Alvis Speed 25 Crème, 1938, an open tourer, "one of just 39 Cross & Ellis tourers in the world", tagged for weddings
• Rolls-Royce Wraith, 1939, a 4-door limousine, "The last pre-war chassis, ordered for the British embassy in Tokyo", tagged for weddings, film and photo shoots
• Ford Thunderbird, 1957, a convertible coupé, tagged for display, photo shoots and evenings
• Jaguar XK 150, 1959, a convertible, "The last of the XKs", tagged for display, photo shoots and trade shows
• Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III, 1965, a saloon with a 6.2 L V8 and twin headlamps, tagged for weddings, events and film

For a wedding, the Wraith and the Silver Cloud III are the obvious formal cars, and the two Alvis models give a more unusual, open-top pre-war look. A "See all 20 vehicles" link leads to the full list.

The site groups its uses into five experiences: weddings and celebrations, where it promises an arrival in style "with a driver if you wish"; film and photo shoots; events and exhibitions such as launches, auctions and trade shows; road trips on Swiss roads; and evenings and outings, which it describes as running from Lake Geneva to the Alpine passes. For a wedding weekend, that last category is worth noting: a chauffeured classic for a rehearsal dinner or a drive the evening before can be requested in the same inquiry as the wedding car itself.

Packages and prices

The hire page sets out three packages, all quoted including tax:

• With a driver: from CHF 990 for 2 hours, chauffeur included, extra hours from CHF 200, wedding decoration available, delivery on quote
• Display: from CHF 790 for 24 hours of availability, aimed at trade shows, window displays, launches, photo shoots and filming, delivery on quote
• Self-drive: from CHF 250, with a package from 24 hours and a deposit from CHF 1,000

The page adds that rates vary by model, duration, distance and season. Self-drive is reserved for the Citroën Dyane, and the FAQ explains why: self-drive cars are selected for being easier and more forgiving to drive than the pre-war ones, while the historic vehicles go out with a chauffeur or for display. For most couples, the chauffeured package is the relevant one.

What the service includes

The site calls it "A turnkey service" and lists six parts. Advice and selection: in its words, "We listen to your project and guide you to the most fitting model for the venue, the image and the mood you seek." An optional chauffeur who knows the car and the region's roads. Delivery and preparation, with the vehicle arriving cleaned and prepared at the event location in Switzerland or neighboring France. Dedicated insurance for classic vehicles. Film-shoot scouting for productions. And wedding decoration: ribbons, flowers and personalized plates, fitted with respect for the original bodywork, with installation and removal handled by the company.

On insurance, the FAQ adds that every hire includes cover suited to classic cars and that the terms (excess, authorized drivers, deposit) are stated in each offer. After the event, the company collects the car.

Booking

Booking works in three steps. You describe the occasion, date, place and model you have in mind through the form or by phone. The company confirms availability and sends a proposal with vehicle, options, logistics and price within 24 hours. On the day, the car is waiting, prepared, at the agreed time and place. For a wedding, the FAQ says two to three months ahead is ideal to secure the model you want, and last-minute requests remain possible subject to availability.

Contact is by phone on +41 22 552 47 30 or by email to info@collectorsgarage.ch. The site is available in French, English and German.

What the site does not settle

Seat counts are not given; the site lists body styles, which say something about space but not how many people ride along or whether a full wedding dress fits comfortably in a 1930s tourer. Prices for individual cars are not listed beyond the "from" rates, and delivery is quoted case by case, with longer distances assessed individually. The site does not say what happens if a car develops a fault on the day, or whether a substitute vehicle is available, which is worth asking with cars of this age. Open-top cars also raise the question of a rain plan, which the site does not address.

Who it suits

The Collectors Garage suits a couple marrying in the Geneva area or across the border in France who want a genuinely historic car, chauffeured, decorated and delivered, and who value the story behind the vehicle. The English-language site, the clear packages and the offer within 24 hours make it straightforward to plan from abroad.

It suits less well a tight budget, since the chauffeured package starts at CHF 990 for 2 hours, or a couple who want to drive a grand classic themselves. And it is a car for the couple, not a way to move guests.