Swiss Stories

copyright Guillaume Megevand

The Swiss athlete who runs like a Kenyan

Society
Julien Wanders from Geneva has been training in Kenya since his late teens. Now, at the age of 23, he is already on first-name terms with the world's top runners. This is his inspiring story.

by Bertrand Monnard

Muse ©Lionel Flusin

The Montreux Jazz Festival

Society
'Smoke on the water' – just as Deep Purple's legendary song encapsulates the extraordinary event that transformed this resort city of long ago. The Montreux Jazz Festival has brought together the biggest names in music since it was created in 1967.
Roger

Federer's good for Switzerland

Society
Roger Federer – the man and his game – embody reliability and excellence, which are also associated with Switzerland. He also projects an image of a modern and open Switzerland. This spring he reached the landmark of 100 career titles. Experts share their views on Federer's international role.

by Bertrand Monnard

The Winegrowers' Festival 2019, Effeuilleuse costume, Flore Duboux. Fred Merz | Lundi 13 © Fête des Vignerons 2019

Vevey Winegrowers' Festival

Society
5,500 actors and extras, 20,000 spectators, an open-air arena of 14,000 m2, 21 performances. All this in an event that features on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage and which takes place only once in a generation: welcome to the Fête des Vignerons, a festival that pays tribute to winemaking traditions. It will take place in Vevey, in the heart of the Lavaux vineyards, from 18 July to 11 August 2019.
Heidi in Isao Takahata’s anime series “Heidi the Girl of the Alps,” 1974. Source: Swissinfo

Heidi: behind the scenes of a Swiss myth

Society
She is the most famous Swiss child. Heidi has enchanted generations of readers with her love of life, her independence and her thirst for freedom. The novel has been translated into 70 languages and has inspired over 15 film adaptations. We all know Heidi. But did you know that Japan was at the heart of Heidi’s world fame? And that Heidi’s fate mirrors the story of the 19th-century Swiss emigrants? Here are some other things we bet you didn’t know…
Cheese

The Swiss cheese with the musical taste

Society
When a Swiss person travels abroad, the odds of cheese being mentioned in the first five minutes of a conversation are almost as high as talking about chocolate or the mountains. While Swiss cheesemaking remains true to its roots, there is still plenty of room for innovation and creativity, with new varieties being introduced regularly and production methods constantly being updated. As if to prove this, the latest surprising – yet entirely serious – initiative is the use of music during the ripening process.
Julien Gremaud

by Julien Gremaud

Elias Läderach

Swiss Chocolate Masters winner

Society
For Elias Läderach, dreaming up new chocolate creations is about much more than just exquisite taste. It's also about art and innovation – from the initial design to tasting trials and the final hand-crafted creation. It's a process of regular self-scrutiny and a chance to use creativity to translate tradition into something new. Elias' win at the World Chocolate Masters in Paris proves how Swiss chocolatiers can reach even greater heights – in innovation.