While the Swiss government often fails to recognize the crucial importance of its international community, particularly in the Lake Geneva region, the French view it differently. The Lake Geneva area, which includes both Swiss and French territory, is being increasingly treated by France’s neighbouring Rhone-Alpes Region as a key priority. Swiss journalist and writer Daniel […]
Archives for April 2015
How the food industry fools us
Unfortunately we live in a world where processed, high sugar foods are hard to avoid. In addition, sugar is added to many foods that do not even taste sweet meaning that nearly all processed and ready-made food contains some sort of added sugar. The problem is that excessive sugar consumption is dangerous. The World Health […]
WIN FREE Stephen K Amos stand up COMEDY TICKETS – Geneva and Lausanne
The maestro of feel-good English comedy, Stephen K Amos will be in Lausanne and Geneva. Fresh from sell-out tours of the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Stephen hits the road for his 2015 European tour! Expect a jam packed hour full of his life’s observations and hilarious stories with plenty of audience participation. Stephen K […]
New Swiss driving rules that could have you locked up and deported
Some people are unaware of the severe new driving penalties in Switzerland. A new body of Swiss laws called Via sicura is being introduced in stages, the most recent lot at the beginning of 2015. Penalties for speeders and drink drivers are particularly severe. Even before these new laws, speeding was eye wateringly expensive in […]
Voyage en Chine; Big Hero 6 ; Child 44
VOYAGE EN CHINE ***1/2 (vo French and Mandarin) This tender tale of a French mother who goes to China to find the body of her dead son is a revelation due to Yolande Moreau’s delicate portrayal. But also for the minimalist technique of Hungarian director Zoltan Mayer, as he takes us on this journey through both urban and […]
Expat interview – Dani Bach biotech investor, intrepid climber
Swiss expat Dr. Dani Bach, a native of Catalonia, Spain leads an interesting double life. During the week, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) trained molecular biologist works in Zurich helping entrepreneurs build biotech businesses. At the weekends he scales the highest peaks in the Alps and has conquered everything above 4,000 metres. Evangeline […]
7-step guide to getting a Swiss passport
Reform of Swiss naturalisation rules is in the works. Parliament has passed the law but it is not yet in force. Confusion abounds so here is a guide to what has happened and where things stood at 4 April 2016. On 20 June 2014 the Swiss parliament passed a new law which changed the number of […]
Switzerland’s shameful electronic waste record
Rapid innovation and ever-shortening technology lifespans are driving a rapid increase in electrical waste. Laptops now typically get binned after two years, well before the end of their usable lives of around five. Televisions are also frequently switched for the latest and greatest cinematic innovation. Much of this is consumerism however, Moore’s law, which decrees […]
Switzerland – Home of the World’s Best Festival?
Cully Jazz, errant bachelors, and the only way to travel to Frankfurt… Your loyal Happy Valley correspondent is sitting on a Kuwait Airways flight from Geneva to Frankfurt. It’s civilized, quick — and amazingly inexpensive. The wide-bodied plane is at best 10% full, which means extra-attentive service, plentiful leg-room and a level of overhead storage […]
“Cheaper to rent in Geneva than own in France”
A family from Geneva, who moved to France only to return to Geneva five years later, was interviewed by the Geneva newspaper GHI about their hellish experience. Unable to buy in Geneva and attracted by cheaper property in France they moved to Annecy in 2010. Shortly after their dream started to turn into a nightmare. […]