The age-old presence of British people in Switzerland makes it the natural place for them to retire. British people in Switzerland enjoy a great quality of life, stunning landscapes, a nice climate, excellent connections to the UK, an outstanding culinary culture, security, excellent medical services and very reasonable taxes. No surprise then that for over 200 years now, so many Britons have elected residence in Switzerland and feel at home there. Our task is to make your immigration process as smooth and hassle-free as possible.

Home away from home
The English make up Switzerland's fourth largest foreign community with 65,000 members. There are dozens of anglophone cultural organizations and libraries. All the English dailies are available and films are also shown in the original English. In the Lake Geneva area and the large urban centres, you can find English-language bookstores, video rentals and English grocery shops. You need never worry about running short on Guinness, Fortnum & Mason Christmas pudding, Stilton cheddar, scones or mushy peas. English churches can be found throughout the country and there are also many prestigious anglophone schools. World Radio Geneva broadcasts in English in the Geneva area (88.4 FM). So it's hard not to feel comfortable in Switzerland. The English community comprises clubs under the umbrella of the Federation of Anglo Swiss Clubs. Their activities consist of get togethers, theatre outings, conferences, excursions, and so on. Swiss Style magazine targets anglophones living in Switzerland, featuring topics on culture, shopping, business and Swiss daily life.

English, second language in Switzerland
The English language is very widespread in Switzerland. The largest concentration of anglophones is in the Lake Geneva area, reaching 13 to 15% of the population in some lakeshore communities. After their mother tongue, the Swiss speak English best, and it is being used more and more as the language of communication between the germanophones, francophones and italophones. As a general rule, "Do you speak English?" is greeted with a smile and a well-spoken answer in this multilingual country. Proof of this is the fact that many anglophones who do not speak any of Switzerland's national languages have lived there for years without the slightest communication problems. More about this...

200 years of British celebrities in Switzerland
The British have played a vital role in the development of modern tourism in Switzerland. English mountaineers rediscovered the Alps and shared their fascination for the Swiss landscape with the world. Edward Whymper was the first to climb the Matterhorn, the legendary summit of the Swiss Alps. That was in 1886, while many British tourists were already coming to admire the countryside and take advantage of its renowned tranquility for a little R&R in the alpine spas. It was even said that "of the 20 guests in a Swiss inn, 14 were English".

British mountaineers, travelers and tourists followed in the footsteps of the English writers. The shores of Lake Geneva inspired such authors as Lord Byron in his poem "The Prisoner of Chillon". It was after a long and stormy night on Lake Geneva that Mary Shelley dreamt of "Frankenstein". Charles Dickens began his famous "David Copperfield" after having settled in Geneva. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also stayed in Switzerland, where his hero Sherlock Holmes met his fateful end.

The British presence in Switzerland has not declined since. Audrey Hepburn settled in Tolochenaz, near Lausanne, where you can visit the museum devoted to her life and career. Charlie Chaplin, who was British before becoming American, lived in Vevey and David Niven lived in Gstaad. English celebrities like Roger Moore and Phil Collins are simply perpetuating a long British tradition in Switzerland.

About Micheloud & Co. Our specialty is providing you with a turnkey solution for taking your retirement or setting up your business in Switzerland. We have many English clients - have a look at their testimonials. Our offices are located in Geneva, Lausanne and Sion, Switzerland. To learn more about Micheloud & Co., please visit our corporate Web site