Swiss Stories

Bollywood und die Schweiz

Bollywood and Switzerland

History
Switzerland and its mountain scenery are hugely popular in India, mainly because of the Bollywood blockbusters filmed there. Indian filmmakers' passion for Switzerland has helped make it one of the most popular destinations for Indian tourists seeking the locations of some of their favourite film scenes.

by Tatiana Tissot

Sophie Lavaud on the summit of Everest

Conquering the Himalayas

History
Known as the '88,000 lady' among the mountaineering cognoscenti, Sophie Lavaud is the first Swiss woman to have climbed eleven peaks of over 8,000 metres in the Himalayas. Quite a topical achievement, as mountaineering was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible World Heritage in December 2019. Portrait of an astonishing woman at the top of her game.

by Lea Huszno

The charnel house in Leuk, June 2018 – © Cyril Zingaro for Le Temps

The catacombs of Valais: as fascinating as those of Paris

History
You don't have descend into the catacombs of Paris to feel the gaze of thousands of empty eye sockets. With its 24,000 skulls, the charnel house in Leuk in the Upper Valais region of Switzerland provides an equally chilling spectacle.
Switzerland: cradle of the Winter Olympics

Switzerland: cradle of the Winter Olympics

History
In January 2020, Switzerland will host another Olympic Winter Games. Whereas the Winter Olympics of 1928 and 1948 took place in St Moritz, the 2020 games will put Olympic capital Lausanne in the spotlight.
Matthias Vauthier

by Matthias Vauthier

Salt

Salt – the raw material from the Swiss Alps

History
Switzerland is famous for its mountains. Its mountain salt mines are less well known. The history of Swiss Saltworks goes back over 450 years. Salt mining played a major role in Switzerland's development and laid the foundation for today's global chemical and pharmaceutical companies and the country's wellness tourism industry. Salt embodies typical Swiss characteristics such as innovation, tradition, reliability and quality. Read on for a brief history of Switzerland's white gold.
Ambulance jet Bombardier Challenger 650

Rega: the Swiss saviour

History
Rega, also known as Swiss Air-Rescue, carries out helicopter and ambulance jet missions in Switzerland and abroad for those in need. The non-profit foundation celebrated its 70th anniversary this year and is supported by the financial contributions of more than 3.6 million patrons.

by Olivia Chang

The Swiss who made their mark on the Winter Olympics

The Swiss who made their mark on the Winter Olympics

History
The 2018 Winter Olympic Games are in full swing in PyeongChang – generating excitement beyond the Alpine countries from which they originate. All over the world, winter sports are once again on everyone's lips, as is the case every four years when the Winter Olympics come round again.
Matthias Vauthier

by Matthias Vauthier