Voters in Vaud approved a 12% cut in income and wealth taxes on Sunday, with 53.1% backing the initiative. The measure will not turn the canton into a tax haven. Even after the cut, Vaud’s tax burden will remain above the national … [Read more...]
News and Features
Swiss health premiums rise again, but ageing is only part of the story
Swiss health-insurance premiums are going up again. Average compulsory premiums will rise by 5% in 2027, to CHF 412 (US$ 500) a month. Anyone wondering what they will pay next year can check the federal government’s premium calculator. One … [Read more...]
Swiss parental-leave initiative gathers more than 100,000 signatures
Swiss voters are likely to have their say on a proposal to introduce parental leave. The Green Liberals announced on Wednesday that they had submitted 112,517 signatures in support of the initiative to the Federal Chancellery for … [Read more...]
Switzerland’s cow parades are back: where to see them in 2026
Each autumn Switzerland’s cattle leave their high pastures for the valleys. The journey, known as a désalpe in French-speaking Switzerland and an Alpabzug in German-speaking areas, has become one of the country’s most photogenic rural traditions. … [Read more...]
FILM: ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL 2026 – excellent international films and top stars
2 October 2026 ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL 2026 (24 September - 4 October) Once again, I jumped over the Röstigraben this autumn…from Geneva to Zurich, and it’s a delightful and liberating move. Pity that many of my Suisse Romande colleagues don’t … [Read more...]
Guides
8 things you must do if you’re running a Swiss business
Brought to you by Winbiz online accounting for Swiss businesses. Once a business is established, there are many ongoing administrative tasks required by law. The main ones are covered in this article. The first few relate to employees and … [Read More...]
10-step guide to hiring an employee in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.business. For startups and small companies, hiring and onboarding new employees can be a real hassle. In Switzerland especially, there is a significant amount of admin to deal with. The following is a guide to all the … [Read More...]
Activities
Going underground – Touring Switzerland’s oldest salt mine
There is a reason why the Swiss excel at digging tunnels: they have been doing it for a very long time. In 1680, tunnels were dug into the Vaud Alps near Bex to get at salt buried there more than 200 million years earlier, le Sel des … [Read more...]
Why you should visit the Gianadda gallery in Martigny
Gianadda, that spectacular cultural centre in Martigny, specializes in exhibitions you want to wander round more than once. Its latest show – Hodler, Monet, Munch: painting the impossible (3 February to 11 June 2017) – also lives up to the … [Read more...]
4 best mountain spas in French-speaking Switzerland
ALL YEAR ROUND The Alps are synonymous with skiing but alpine geothermal springs and spas are sometimes overlooked. If the thought of lugging skis, poles and person to the ski lift to spend a day risking life and limb on snow isn’t appealing, … [Read more...]
