The 11th edition of the Histoire et Cité Festival will take over French-speaking Switzerland under the theme “As if by magic.” Check their program to find out what is going on in a city near you at this link.
Over the course of ten days, more than 250 speakers will present 135 free events—including lectures, films, panel discussions, tours, workshops, and performances—to explore the connections between science, belief, rationality, and the imagination.
Highlights of the Geneva edition
In Geneva, the festival will take on a large scale with 63 events organized from 24-29 March 2026, spread across Uni Dufour, the Bibliothèque de Genève, the MEG, and the Cinémas du Grütli.
- 24 March 2026: From India to Mars (18h30, Uni Dufour), an opening night dedicated to the Geneva-based medium Hélène Smith, an international figure in spiritualism studied in the late 19th century. An exploration of the connections between the spiritual sciences, occultism, and artistic creation.
- 25 March 2026: Screenings of Kirikou and the Sorceress and the cult film The Wicker Man at the Cinémas du Grütli.
- 26 March 2026: Cartography of Magical Geneva (Bibliothèque de Genève), offering a unique perspective on the city through its legends, occult affairs, and urban myths.
- 26 March 2026: The Magic of Finance (Uni Dufour), a roundtable discussion on contemporary economic imaginaries, from financial bubbles to cryptocurrencies.
- 28 March 2026: The Magic Scrolls of Christian Ethiopia (MEG), a special presentation of rarely seen talismanic objects.
Geneva emerges as a true testing ground for the tensions between scientific rationality, collective beliefs, and modern imaginations.
Like every first Wednesday of February, the public alarm sirens are tested throughout Switzerland. This test will take place on Wednesday, 4 February 2026 between 13h30 and 15h30.
In Geneva, 116 fixed sirens will be tested, under the responsibility of the cantonal office of population protection and military affairs (OCPPAM). A water alarm intended for residents living downstream of the hydroelectric dams of Verbois and Chancy-Pougny will be tested during the same exercise. The water alarm signal consists of twelve low tones of 20 seconds each, separated by intervals of ten seconds.
In Vaud, 451 fixed and 206 mobile sirens, as well as telephone alarm systems for people living in isolated houses will be tested.
The annual tests allow to verify the proper functioning of the population alarm installations. Indeed, as for any device, failures can occur. These tests are also an opportunity to check the sound coverage of the territory by the sirens. Inside certain buildings with a large number of people, additional alarms are broadcast and instructions are given to the occupants.
The general alarm consists of a continuous oscillating sound broadcast for one minute by the fixed sirens and repeated after five minutes.
Geneva Irish Association annual picnic
In 1975, Séamus (Jimmy) Magee and his Swiss wife, Evelyne and young daughter Deborah, moved from London to Geneva to work at the European Broadcasting Union. The Geneva from 1975 was not that of today. There was, at the time, relatively little in the way of hobbies and cultural activities… Jimmy amongst his family spoke often of Ireland and the idea to found L’Association Irlandaise de Genève (Geneva Irish Association: GIA) came to him.
He made contact with the Irish Mission in Geneva who gave him the names and addresses of Irish residents in Geneva and its surrounds - luckily there were no GDPR concerns at the time! Jimmy wrote to them, proposing that they join the new association. Several were happy to join and become Committee Members. Thus, the GIA was born on the 27th of September 1975.
Jimmy put a lot of effort into maintaining links with Ireland and Irish culture. At the centre of the GIA, members had access to Irish films (ordered from Bern by Brian Scanlon), could take Irish language courses as well as dance lessons (given by Mary Kehrli-Smyth and Angela Jeangros) and could participate in play reading sessions organised by Sarah and Mick Browne. In addition, there was organised annually a rally and a picnic (which involved booking the chosen mountain refuge months in advance) and a Christmas celebration for the children. The most important day of the year is Saint Patrick’s Day of course. This occasion saw musicians come over from Ireland and board with the families of GIA members.
Fast forward to today as we celebrate our 50th anniversary in September 2025, making us the oldest Irish Association in Switzerland and one of the oldest in Europe!
Seeing the colors, the varieties and amazing selection of seed packages and seedling plants at nearby garden centers and supermarkets, who wouldn't want to start a little garden plot? Maybe you could just start with 3 pots to get the hang of it instead of planting in full ground.
Some annuals are best seeded directly in the garden in spring whereas some can be nurtured in little starter plug pots and then transferred outdoors once the freezing temperatures have finished. Side note on this subject, known in French as Saint de Glace, here is an excerpt from the latest Know-it-all passport®:
As we have had some unpredictable weather in the last weeks, one has to pay attention to these wise words from history: Avant St, Servais, point d'été. Après St. Servais, plus de gelée (Before St. Servais, no spring. After St. Servais, no more frost).
Photo credit: ©DylanPerrenoud
When we heard that the Maison Rousseau et Littérature (MRL) in Geneva was giving tours in English, we had to catch up with the people involved. The tour guide, Ariel Pierre Haemmerlé, who we know personally through articles here about his tours of Carouge, and recent books about Geneva here, here, and here, makes this connection extra special. We caught up with Sabrina Colongo, in charge of Communication for MRL, who answered a few of our questions.
What has been the inspiration behind this tour?
We wanted to share the story and principles of Rousseau under a modern and relevant light. That’s why the Rousseau Path, instead of following a classic chronological/biographical order, is organised between 7 recurring thematic aspects of his work: nature, freedom, happiness etc. The permanent exhibitions clearly shows how relevant his views still are today.
The history of MRL
Born from the merge in 2012 of "L’Espace Rousseau" and la "Maison de la littérature" after years of negociation, it is the result of a dream that some may have called… a little bit crazy. For the past decade, it has fulfilled its two main purposes : honor the memory and the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and promote French-Swiss literature to a very diverse audience (students, locals, senior citizens, children, people with disabilities, tourists etc.).
What is the biggest obstacle MRL has had to overcome in the last years?
Probably the merge of the two associations followed by the thorough refurbishement of the building. What a challenge! We are proud to be where we’re at now and we are also looking forwrad to what the future has to offer.
