24 Heures. A trend that started in the US in the 90s is now invading Swiss swimming pools, threatening to turn them into washing machines, requiring the addition of increased water treatment chemicals. Culprits are not easy to catch either according to those running public pools. The fashion called “sagging” involves wearing your pants below […]
Is Lausanne One of The World’s Top Cities?
While perusing the racks at the local magazine shop, your loyal Happy Valley Correspondent was delighted to come across the latest edition of Monocle magazine. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Monocle, it’s a very glossy periodical, with many nice pictures. It describes itself as “a briefing on global affairs, business, culture and […]
Poke your head out of a Swiss train and it could get whacked by a broom
In the United States you might get sued for this. But this is Switzerland and Swiss Rail has decided that getting your head hit by a broom from time to time is far better than getting it knocked off by something harder like a tunnel entrance or a piece of construction equipment. How refreshingly practical. […]
“Your biggest opponent is yourself” explains Geneva based fighter
Packed inside the Theatre du Léman in Geneva, you can feel the electric charge in the air. The evening is slowly percolating towards its apogee, as the sold-out crowd anxiously awaits the main event. At last, a wave of cheers erupts from the back and travels across the room as both fighters emerge and start […]
Festivities, song and fire strikes Happy Valley
June is a particularly important month in Happy Valley. It’s more than just the month that signals the arrival of wonderful festivals in the area, ranging from classics in Cully, to flamenco in Renens. And it’s more than simply the month that kicks off clearance sales at Movenpick Wine. (Check out the marked down Albarino. […]
How Europe’s highest vineyard ended up with 500 owners and Indian connections
Get high on Switzerland this summer, writes Renu Chahil-Graf from her Swiss mountain retreat. There are many reasons to visit, not least its exceptional food and wines and salubrious climate. The highest altitude vineyard in Europe is known to be in Visperterminen, a village of 1,400 people, nestled in a mountain range just across from […]
Lake Geneva’s belle epoque paddle boats attacked by pirates
On Sunday 24 May 2015 around 10,000 people turned up in the village of Rolle on the shore of Lake Geneva, Switzerland to see a parade of the world’s largest fleet of operating paddle boats. This was the 20th parade of these beautiful boats. Six boats, all from the early 20th century, took part: Montreux […]
First impressions: Switzerland at Milan Expo 2015
Here in an unseasonably chilly Happy Valley, this has been a week of fulfilling one’s national duty. I am talking about visiting Expo 2015 — and seeing how the Swiss pavilion stacks up against the parade of great nations eager to showcase their wares a few kilometres outside of Milan. (I also could throw in […]
Incredible new Matterhorn speed record
Swiss mountaineer Dani Arnold broke the speed record for climbing the Matterhorn on 22 April 2015. This new record replaces Ueli Steck’s record set in 2009. Steck, also Swiss, made it to the top in one hour and 56 minutes, 10 minutes longer than Arnold who made it to the summit in one hour and […]
Who are the Swiss travelling community the Yéniche?
The neighbouring towns of Nidau and Biel/Bienne agreed last year to accept 50 caravans from the Swiss travellers’ group known as the Yéniche. It was a temporary arrangement and a reminder that no long-term solution has been found to accommodate this persecuted group, most of whom are Swiss citizens. When some 70 caravans arrived in […]
