Switzerland did not have the longest life expectancy or the highest score on relative mental well-being. It did not have lowest old age poverty rate and it wasn’t perceived as the safest place for an older person to walk alone. So why did it rank as the best place to live in old age in […]
Could this be the new Swiss national anthem? Many hope so. Some don’t.
Happiness comes to Happy Valley
As colder weather starts to descend on Happy Valley — the bise earlier this week was a rude taste of things to come — your loyal correspondent is pleased to report some interesting developments relating to topics touched on over the past few months. To wit: Back in March, I commented on plans being reviewed […]
A gloomy start to the school year
Few things get the heart pumping of your Happy Valley correspondent more than la rentrée…that splendid combination of the first whiffs of fall air, and the return of horrendous traffic, as la Suisse Romande re awakes from its summer slumber. But this year, the rentrée in Happy Valley somehow feels…well, rather different. Rather morose, in […]
Swiss climber climbs 82 Alpine summits in 62 days
20 Minutes. The Swiss climber who holds numerous mountain climbing speed records recently set himself a new challenge: climb all European Alpine peaks over 4,000 metres in under 80 days. Ueli Steck, nicknamed the “Swiss machine” announced on Wednesday that he had successfully climbed all 82 peaks in 62 days, well within his 80 day […]
Barbeque bans lifted
20 Minutes. The cantons of Vaud, Fribourg and Neuchâtel have all lifted their fire bans after recent rain reduced the risks. The fire risk level has now fallen to level 3 on a scale from 1 to a maximum risk level of 5. This means fireworks and barbeques near forests are permitted. A level 3 […]
Revolution in the UDC? A Happy Valley Exclusive!
The August 1 Swiss national holiday is almost here. It’s a day awaited with bated breath by your loyal Happy Valley Correspondent. Why? Well, first of all there are fireworks. Many fireworks. Fireworks which even in the tiniest of bleds often rival those of an Olympic closing ceremony. And Happy Valley is no exception. Second, […]
Vaud fireworks ban sparks anger
20 Minutes. Ahead of the 1st of August celebrations of Swiss national day, fireworks have been banned in the canton of Vaud unless set off from the lake by professionals at least 300 metres from the shore. Those working in the industry are angry and think the ban goes too far. Some Vaud fire fighters […]
Growing crowds at Lausanne soup kitchen
Tages Anzeiger. Some might imagine there is little need for soup kitchens to feed the poor in Lausanne. Philippe Reichen, writing for the Tages Anzeiger, describes life at “La Soupe Populaire”, a soup kitchen in Lausanne which feeds around 200 people every day. “La Soupe Populaire” has been enormously popular for years. In 2008, when […]
Swiss army flies in to rescue cows from heatwave
24 Heures. The Jura region of Switzerland has been hard hit by the recent heatwave. So hard that the Swiss army was called in to install and fill water troughs for parched cows. According to one farmer, a cow’s comfort zone is between 5 and 20 degrees Celsius. Outside this range they aren’t happy and […]
