This paper explores how individuals describe their residential trajectory. Based on more than 50 interviews with residents from three municipalities in Switzerland, it seeks to understand how individuals combine geographical categories and specific places, in the narrative of their residential history. The most frequent categories cited are “city”, “countryside” and “village”. They are used and characterized in different ways. By contrast, though all interviewees live in the mountain zone as defined by Swiss administration, “Mountain” is a relevant category only for some interviewees, mostly attracted in their residential area by leisure opportunities. Approaching residential narratives through geographical categories sheds new light on dwelling and housing issues.