On Sat, 30 Jan 2016, Ken Blake wrote:

Sometimes at land boundaries the check doesn't even exist. I have
walked from France (Menton) to Italy (Ventimiglia) and back without
even being stopped.

How long ago ? Checks were abolished at some time. You mean Ponte San
Luigi or Ponte San Ludovico crossings ? Or you mean walking along the
beach ?

I've never been checked on the boats on Lake Lugano (I usually do a trip
starting at Porto Ceresio, Italy, then doing a walk somewhere in
Switzerland, and continuing by boat to Porlezza (Italy). I once alighted
in Campione (an italian enclave within Switzerland) then climbed a path
in the woods back into Switzerland and down to the lake.

I also did a hike through Splugen pass on the old mule way and there
were no checks at all.

The funny thing was that I was concerned because my identity card was
stamped on the back (at some time the validity of the card was extended
from 5 to 10 years with such a a stamp), and I heard that Switzerland
might not like such extension of the printed expiry date. I even tried
to get a new card, but at the town hall after a 90 min queue they
refused my carefully taken photographs because of reflection in the
glasses I wear. So I went away, sent an e-mail to the Swiss consulate
and within 2 hours I got a reply with attached all the official
documentation (they do accept a "paper" identity card stamped on the
back, they do not accept an "electronic' (plastic) identity card with
the extension stamp on a separate piece of paper.

Anyhow, when my identity card finally expired, I booked for an
electronic one (one has to book 6 months in advance :-() for which they
take the picture on the spot (and just in case I brought a mount without
lenses :-)), and now I am OK for 10-years-and-odd (the validity is at
the next birthday after the 10 years :-))