About 100 refugees have spent months living in civil-defence shelters in the Swiss canton of Vaud, reports RTS. The canton’s migrant reception agency lacks accommodation, and residents say life underground is damaging their health. One Ukrainian … [Read more...]
News and Features
Language requirements for Swiss citizenship and visas – what you need to know
Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and … [Read more...]
Summer heat linked to nearly 1,260 deaths in Switzerland
An estimated 1,257 deaths in Switzerland between May and August 2026 were attributable to heat, according to a preliminary report by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, commissioned by the Federal Office of Public Health. The summer … [Read more...]
Demonstrators in Lausanne protest against cuts to public sector spending
Several thousand people marched through Lausanne on Thursday evening to protest against cuts to public services, reported RTS. The demonstration came a month before Vaud’s cantonal parliament begins debating the 2027 budget. The protesters … [Read more...]
FILM: CLUB KID **** an amusing and touching tale of love and rehabilitation
6 November 2026 Some excellent films this week - the reviews will be short as there are too many releases just now…including the successful GIFF! (Geneva International Film Festival). CLUB KID **** Jordan Firstman has written, directed and … [Read more...]
Guides
15 things you should know about Swiss health insurance
It's health insurance season. Average premiums are increasing in 2018. Compulsory basic Swiss health insurance can generally only be changed once a year. To change you must notify your current provider by 30 November. This article explains the basics … [Read More...]
Hiring a cleaner – around half break law on Swiss accident insurance
Brought to you by quitt.ch - No. 1 provider of registration and administration services for domestic help in Switzerland. In Switzerland, around one in seven hire someone to do their cleaning, but around half break the law, risking fines and a big … [Read More...]
Activities
Lake Geneva’s beautiful paddlewheel boats – getting there is way more than half the fun
They say that “getting there is half the fun”. But sometimes it’s more. A lot more. For example: a Lake Geneva cruise on a grand historic paddlewheel steamboat. Destination? Who cares? On a recent gorgeous Sunday afternoon, I, your intrepid … [Read more...]
“Snow of May” – Swiss narcissus season in full bloom
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...]
Places to go for early season skiing in Switzerland
Mention skiing in November and it is likely to draw blank expressions, or comments like: "It’s too early, there will be no snow". While this is true for some resorts not all ski domains were created equal. A recent study shows that in 2015, snow … [Read more...]
