Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and … [Read more...]
News and Features
Is Switzerland reliving the infamous summer of 2003?
Switzerland is enduring its tenth consecutive day of temperatures above 30°C, placing this June among the hottest on record. The month began cool but turned hot. Temperatures rose sharply from the middle of the month, with much of the country … [Read more...]
Swiss voters to decide on fireworks ban
Swiss voters will decide whether to ban most fireworks after campaigners rejected a parliamentary compromise and insisted on putting their initiative to a nationwide vote, reported RTS. The proposal, launched by animal-welfare organisations, … [Read more...]
Half of Swiss voters are now over 60
Switzerland's electorate is ageing rapidly. New calculations by the liberal think tank Avenir Suisse show that the median age of those who vote in nationwide referendums is now about 60. In other words, half of active voters are older than 60. Since … [Read more...]
LES CAPRICES DE L’ENFANT ROI ***1/2 – a delight!
26 June 2026 LES CAPRICES DE L’ENFANT ROI ***1/2 (vo French, subtitled in English) This amusing historical film is a delight! It’s 1651 in France, and rebellions are raging outside the royal palace. The 13-year-old King Louis XIV, the future … [Read more...]
Guides
Setting up a business in Switzerland – a guide
Brought to you by Winbiz online accounting for Swiss businesses. So you have decided to start a business. You have a business plan and are ready to get started. Before you launch you need a name and possibly a company. Broadly there are two options … [Read More...]
15 things you should know about Swiss health insurance
It's health insurance season. Average premiums are increasing in 2018. Compulsory basic Swiss health insurance can generally only be changed once a year. To change you must notify your current provider by 30 November. This article explains the basics … [Read More...]
Activities
Swiss 2021 summer music festival Paléo cancelled
In April 2020, when Covid-19 was spreading across Europe, Paléo announced it was cancelling its 2020 summer music festival. Today, it announced it is cancelling its 2021 festival. In an announcement Paléo said: "the whole organising team kept … [Read more...]
20 ice skating rinks around Lake Geneva. Get your skates on!
Ice skating season is here so get your skates on! There are ice-skating rinks all over Geneva, Vaud and neighbouring Fribourg. Entrance prices vary and all rinks have skates that you can hire. The links below will take you to the relevant websites … [Read more...]
Art in an alpine setting – the Pierre Arnaud Foundation in Valais
On 12 November 2016, Museums in Switzerland are free. Valais resident Peter Hulm suggests going to the Pierre Arnaud Foundation in Lens, just below Crans-Montana. Not just because of its magnificent building and a restaurant whose young chef was … [Read more...]
