The spring narcissus bloom in Switzerland's riviera region, a star tourist attraction of the Belle Epoque - the 30 to 40 years before the war in 1914 - was described as the "snow of May" by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The book … [Read more...]
News and Features
FILM: THE SHEEP DETECTIVES *** a delightful family movie
8 May 2026 THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (Bêêêtective Privé) *** The lambies are the best part of this sweet movie. They’re the ones who are going to figure out who killed their beloved shepherd (Hugh Jackman), for he had been reading the most … [Read more...]
FILM: PARALLEL TALES ***1/2 intense fluid multi-layered script
15 May 2026 HISTOIRES PARALLÈLES (Parallel Tales) **** (vo French, with English subtitles) What a relief - it seems three’s a charm. Meaning that Asghar Farhadi’s third film made outside Iran has finally recaptured his past brilliance, both in … [Read more...]
Swiss poll points to tight races on population cap and civil-service reform
If the upcoming votes had been held at the end of April, the “No to 10 Million Switzerland” initiative would have been tied, according to the latest SRG poll run by GFS Bern. Changes to the Civil Service Act would have passed. On June 14th 2026 … [Read more...]
Swiss doctors accused of demanding cash payments before surgery
Some Swiss doctors are demanding thousands of francs in cash from patients before operations, sometimes without providing receipts or clearly explaining the charges, according to an investigation by SRF. Patient advocates say the practice is becoming … [Read more...]
Guides
8-step guide to hiring a nanny in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.ch - No. 1 provider of registration and administration services for domestic help in Switzerland. 1. What do nannies cost in Switzerland? Nannies are expensive in Switzerland. Average monthly salaries range from CHF 3,300 to … [Read More...]
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...]
Activities
Chaplin’s World – enter the home and life of a comic genius
Film legend Charlie Chaplin spent 24 years living in the Manoir de Ban, a grand old mansion above Vevey in Switzerland. In 2016, his charming former home and grounds were cleverly and artfully transformed into Chaplin’s World and opened to the … [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...]
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...]
