Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

An English Podcast about Switzerland for Expats living in Switzerland. A podcast about Swiss culture, Swiss hidden places, work and living in Switzerland. Your British guide to Switzerland: an audio podcast for English-speaking expats living in Switzerland and Swiss interested in Britain. Everything expats need to know about finding a job in Switzerland, how to find an apartment in Bern, Geneva or Zurich, how to find friends and get to know Swiss culture, traditions and of course, how to learn the language. We will answer your questions and give you a personal insight into what moving from London to Bern is like. This is not just a view from the outside looking in however, we will also bring you the Swiss perspective, from a "real" Swiss, born and bred in the Bernese Oberland. Become part of the community.

Episodes

April 3, 2025 21 mins

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Not everything is as glossy as it seems

Many thanks to all the listeners who reach out to us! Today’s episode is for you. If you have questions or thoughts you want to share with us and the other listeners, let us know!

In this episode, we talk specifically about Jonathan’s feedback and his experiences of visiting Switzerland. It inspired us to talk about some other surprises and controversial aspects of...

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A journey to Fahy and the history of Tête de Moine cheese.

In today’s episode of Swiss and Chips, we’re taking you on a journey across the Swiss-French border on foot! Join us as we explore the charming town of Fahy, visit the House of the Tête de Moine cheese, and dive into the history behind this delicious Swiss cheese. We’ll also share our experience of crossing the border and why many people shop ac...

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Tips, passes, and resort advice for newbies on the pistes

In today’s episode of Swiss and Chips, we’re talking about how to enjoy a ski day when you’re ready to move beyond your first slope but you’re not ready to hit a “red” yet. We discuss some basics, like choosing the right ski pass or picking a resort, and skiing etiquette. But mainly Jo shares her personal experience. 

00:00 - Introduction to this ...

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It’s been a while, but we’re back - and we’re diving straight into a topic that’s Swiss and surprisingly sensitive: the (unspoken) rules of the shared washing room. We’ll share some personal stories of washing room drama and tell you what you need to know when searching for a new flat.

00:00 - Intro

02:42 - Swiss Bytes

06:2...

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October 28, 2024 36 mins

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“Especially in times of the pluralisation of lifestyles, there is a need to know how things should be done correctly. Because manners provide security in how to shape interactions positively. They simplify interactions and prevent misunderstandings.” This is a quote from the ‘Swiss Knigge’, a book about good manners and behaviour in Switzerland. 

Though often associated with formal manners, Knigge in Sw...

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Let's dive into another episode about Swiss German through the lens of the traditional Swiss radio game ‘ABC SRF 3’. We' haven’t laughed so much in an episode yet; we’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing.

And we introduce two new segments. First, we address user questions and feedback, featuring Cathy, who proudly participates in Swiss traditions. Second, get read...

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July 18, 2024 18 mins

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Swiss National Day is coming up! Let’s talk about what happens on the big day and what it means to the Swiss. We’ll help you figure out how to mark the occasion even if you haven’t been in Switzerland for long. We also have some new features in our podcast for you: “Swiss bytes”, listener feedback and our survey.

00:00 - Intro

01:58 - Listener Feedback

03:14 - Swiss Bytes

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March 5, 2024 20 mins

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How do you cope with the chaos, confusion, and frequent frustration of queuing in Switzerland? In this episode, we explore Swiss queuing culture and share our experiences and advice on how to survive and possibly thrive in the chaotic queuing land of the Alps. We have some horror stories to share that you might be able to identify with. Whether you’re a newcomer, a visitor, or a long-time resident, we ...

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December 21, 2023 19 mins

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Switzerland, a country known for its linguistic diversity, is home to the unique dialect of Swiss German. It has many variations around the country, with words, sounds and phrases changing by city or valley. Here, we dive into a very specific topic of Swiss German - the use of nicknames.

In this episode of ‘Decoding Swiss German Nicknames’, we aim to unravel the meanings, origins, and usage of nicknames...

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Discovering animal sounds in Swiss German: A fun exploration at the Dählhölzli Petting Zoo

Come with us on a stroll through the famous Dählhölzli petting zoo in Bern where we talk about the different animal noises in English and Swiss German.

A special welcome and thanks to all our super early subscribers: Samir, Julian, Nuclei, Alicia, Nicholas, Joee and many more - we really appreciate the early suppor...

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The experience of going to see a film in Switzerland has some quirks. The first question you’re probably going to ask yourself when trying to catch a new release is what language it’s going to be shown in and secondly, how much the pleasure is going to set you back. 

 
 In this episode, we talk about which kind of cinema typically shows films in which languages, how dubbing or subtitles come into pl...

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October 19, 2023 15 mins

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After 13 years of living in Switzerland, Jo is finally allowed to have her say in her new home country and participate in the democratic process. The Swiss elections are coming up and after becoming Swiss, this might be the second most exciting day for a new citizen. The papers have arrived (a long time ago) and are ready to be explored. Let's do the unboxing together and talk about the specialiti...

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The Swiss can't get enough of it: Rivella is the Alpine nation's traditional soft drink of choice. But there's an unusual ingredient hiding beneath the bubbles of this thirst-quenching liquid. Any idea what it is?

In this episode, we'll introduce you to the delights of Switzerland's weird and wonderful fizzy refreshment, and Simon takes a blind Rivella taste test to find out how...

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If you're looking for Christmas magic, put Colmar, France on your list of must-see places. A beautiful city at any time of year, it is decorated and lit up to perfection every Christmas.

The city's cobbled streets are flanked by Medieval or Renaissance-period buildings and small canals run alongside the main thoroughfares. There are six different markets to see, each with a different focus suc...

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December 1, 2022 18 mins

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It can take time to figure out what the useful websites are when you move to a new country. What are the most-popular car-sharing, price comparison, weather and buy-and-sell sites in Switzerland? We crowdsourced a list of the must-know websites in Switzerland from our Facebook group, Switzerland for English Speakers. In this episode we explain why they're useful and what we personally think of the...

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Warning: this episode is a rollercoaster! We try to navigate our way through a traditional Swiss kitchen, and explain the classic items you'll find in any Swiss kitchen cupboard. From flavourings to implements, we lift the table cloth on the secrets of Switzerland's home dining habits - and we reveal a few foody preferences of our own along the way. Plus: what's missing in a standard Swi...

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October 20, 2022 16 mins

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After Jo got her Swiss passport it was time to step up and get her first real taste of Swiss democracy… and what better way to do it than going to vote in the regular Swiss polls in person.

In this episode, we talk about how to vote in person or by post, and how to navigate political discussions with the Swiss.

The Swiss and Chips vote

Come and vote, we want to hear from you!

Notes on this episode of Swiss...

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September 29, 2022 13 mins

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The traditional ways to travel between the UK and Switzerland are plane, train and car. 2022 turned out to be the year we used the channel tunnel to make the trip for the first time. We drove from Bern to England and then back a few weeks later. It was an experience to remember! And one that’s worth talking about and sharing with you.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switz...

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It took around two years, but the moment has finally come. Ten months after the final interview a confirmation letter arrived in the post: Jo is Swiss! Now that's worth talking about.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

What happened so far: Check out our other episodes on 'How to become Swiss'. What happened since the interview What changes after be...

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The BEA is open! This annual traditional Swiss fair is a must-see for anyone living in or around Bern and it's open until May 8 this year. From donkey displays to fairground rides and the chance to sample local beers and a staggering range of cheese, there is so much to see for children and adults. 

We recorded while out on a day trip in Switzerland, so there's not one, but two recommendations...

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