Swiss Stories

Red Divico grapes

Swiss wine without pesticides

Science & Education
Switzerland's centre of excellence for agricultural research Agroscope has been creating new grape varieties for 50 years. Their goals are ambitious – particularly the targets for disease resistance. Several generations of resistant varieties have emerged, helping to gradually reduce the impact of diseases and the use of pesticides. Fungal diseases – a major concern for winegrowers Swiss winegrowers face considerable difficulties with fungal diseases, two of which are particularly entrenched in Switzerland: downy and powdery mildew. It is very hard to cultivate grapes without pesticides today – both in conventional and organic vineyards. To help avoid this, Agroscope's viticulture research team focuses its efforts on creating resistant grapevines.
Iris Bohnet

Iris Bohnet, the Swiss woman who conquered Harvard

Science & Education
Iris Bohnet, a 52-year-old native of Lucerne, is the first Swiss woman to teach at Harvard University and at the same time a world-renowned economist specialised in the issue of gender. Portrait of a woman fighting for equality.

by Lea Huszno

Eiger Ultra Trail

Switzerland's mountain trails

Society
Thanks to its varied mountainous territory, Switzerland offers an impressive number of mountain trails.
Swiss dogs on Instagram

Swiss dogs on Instagram

Society
Meet the Swiss Instagrammers who share their uplifting pictures of everyday life with their dogs in the incomparable Swiss outdoors.
Bruno Pravato

The Swiss apprenticeship: a driver for success

Science & Education
Serving an apprenticeship can lead to future career success – whether as a federal councillor, a festival director or the best bricklayer in Europe.

by Lea Huszno

neuchâtel festival

Neuchâtel Grape Harvest Festival, a living tradition

Society
The city of Neuchâtel has been hosting the Grape Harvest Festival for more than a century. Over a long weekend in late September, the streets of this small city in French-speaking Switzerland with a population of just over 33,000 are the backdrop for this outdoor party.
Matthias Vauthier

by Matthias Vauthier

Advertising poster, around 1900

Henri Nestlé: the man behind the global enterprise

History
With his small family business and product inventions, the pharmacist from Frankfurt was eking out a modest living in Vevey. That is, until he came across an exceptionally lucrative market gap: infant formula, made from the finest Swiss ingredients.
Barbara Piatti

by Barbara Piatti