Bern's fireworks for the Swiss national holiday were cancelled due to rain but on the other side of the Alps, towns were able to have displays
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) - The First of August national holiday in Switzerland was not a quiet one for emergency services. The east of the country was swept by high winds and rain late in the day and during the night from Sunday to Monday, causing flooding in Schwytz and St Gallen. A man drowned in Lake Constance, in the Valais resort of Crans-Montana a car veered out of control in the village centre and injured seven.
The accident in Crans-Montana occurred shortly after noon Sunday 1 August when a 74-year-old man lost control of his car for reasons that are not yet clear, drove onto a sidewalk where he hit five people, then hit the window of a bakery, damaging several vehicles in the process.
Storms opened up around 20:00 Sunday evening in central and eastern Switzerland, causing streams to overflow, blocking roads in some areas, but also putting a damper on holiday fireworks planned in canton Bern and notably at the Bruenig Pass. The city of Bern received a heavy dose: 2 cm of rain in less than an hour. Winds in Neuchatel and La Broye reached 90 kph, according to the national weather service and hail fell in some areas of the country.
A 49-year-old man fell into Lake Constance from his boat late Sunday when a storm suddenly whipped up on the lake and part of their equipment went into the water. The man fell overboard while trying to get it back. The friend who was with him tried to pull him back into the boat, unsuccessfully. She called police immediately and a 50-person, 15-boat international rescue team spent four hours looking for him, to no avail. The search continues Monday morning.
Links to other sites: TSR (Fre), 20 Minutes (Fre)
The meaning of 1 August, Switzerland’s national day, and where people celebrate
Some Swissness - Photo Ellen Wallace
Swiss Alps near Leuk, canton Valais, morning of 1 August
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) Go back to 1291 for the source of this holiday that recalls a day in early August, over 700 years ago, when three independent republics signed a pact to protect each other.
The Letter of Alliance was signed by Uri, Schwyz and Unterwald (today Unterwald is formed by cantons Nidwalden and Obwalden.)
That initial agreement paved the road for 26 additional cantons, or federal states, to join what became the Swiss Confederation in 1848.
Forty-three years after the creation of the Confederation the Swiss celebrated for the first time, in Bern in 1891, the signing of the agreement.
It took another 149 years, and a public referendum, before it became a recognized federal holiday in 1994.
How the Swiss celebrate their national day
Fireworks Saturday night in Sierre, canton Valais
It is a “new holiday” and many traditions are still being formed, so celebrations are mostly organized at a local level without major national events.
The president of the Confederation or one of the members of the Federal Council generally participate in a celebration at the Ruetli meadow – called Gruetli in French and German – which is considered the birthplace of the Swiss Confederation (and a great place for hiking.)
Where to celebrate
The most complete listing of celebrations across Switzerland can be found on the Swiss National Tourist Office website. Many events are posted in English but you’ll find more results if you search in French or German.
The GenevaLunch events page also has information on where to see fireworks in cantons Geneva and Vaud, and our news page carries information on fireworks restrictions.
To learn more about the country, as part of your holiday celebrations, the federal web site ch.ch has a wealth of additional information and links to Swiss resources.
And, if you’re feeling weak on knowledge of Swiss politics, geography, culture and history, a new board game in English, Helvetiq, offers 312 question/answer cards to make you an expert. See our GenevaLunch review of the game.
Enjoy the holiday!
Weather forecast for holiday weekend: little rain, relatively cool
Dawn 28 July, Swiss Alps
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) - The best place to watch firework 1 August 2010 might be Lake Geneva, about the only place in the region not suffering from dryness and fireworks bans.
Canton Vaud announced Wednesday 28 July that fireworks are banned, effective immediately, although communes will be allowed to go ahead with their national day explosive festivities, under the close supervision of fire departments.
Fireworks on the lake are allowed, the canton notes.
Weekend weather for the holiday: western Switzerland should have temperatures of 12-25C through Sunday, with only small amounts of rain on Thursday and Sunday, otherwise dry and sunny to slightly overcast. For current and local weather, be sure to check GenevaLunch’s weather page, provided by the Swiss national weather bureau, MeteoSwiss.
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The only cloud in the sky at dawn Wednesday - not much rain there!
The sun rose and the moon set at nearly the same time in the Alps 28 July
Dry weather: Jura bans fireworks except official ones, other cantons to review
Swiss national day (1 August) official fireworks will still go on
Jura, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) – Canton Jura is the latest Swiss state to ban forest fires because of continuing dry weather, but it has banned private fireworks for the national day, 1 August, it announced Monday 26 July.
Fribourg, Geneva, Vaud and Valais also have forest fire bans but will be reviewing this week whether conditions will allow private fireworks.
Recent rains have eased the dryness problem somewhat, but several days of rain are needed to bring conditions back to a more secure level.
A large part of southern and western Switzerland remains on yellow alert, for a high level of danger from forest fires (map, Meteo Swiss).
Subtle with the Swiss flags
Expect fireworks
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland celebrates its National Day 1 August, a time when families tend to get together and the Swiss return to their “home” towns, which is not necessarily where they grew up, but the town where their family is registered.
Watch those fireworks
Expect bonfires and fireworks: some 1,700 tons of pyrotechnics are sold every year. Keep in mind the federal government’s recommendations to avoid these if you have cardiovascular or respiratory system problems because they sharply increase, for a short period, the fine dust particles in the air. And if you’re setting off fireworks, remember that they provoke serious stress for animals, Bern says, so don’t do it near them.
The annual August holiday provokes on average 250 accidents related to fireworks, and fires cause some CHF4 million in damage. Safety tips, Swiss Bureau for the Prevention of Accidents (Fre)
The bonfires are part of an old Swiss tradition, particularly in the Alps, where one village could warn another of impending attacks by lighting a bonfire, easily visible at a great distance.
Homeward bound, cheaply
The CFF rail company is offering a special “Homecoming days” deal to all Swiss to take the train for CHF15, 1 and 2 August, when they return to their place of origin, as it’s known. The deal is good between your home town and your place of residence, as they appear on a Swiss identity card or passport.
The meaning of 1 August, Switzerland’s National Day
Go back to 1291 for the source of this holiday that recalls a day in early August, over 700 years ago, when three independent republics signed a pact to protect each other. (Ed. note: if you’re feeling weak on knowledge of Swiss politics, geography, culture and history, a new board game in English will be launched 1 August, Helvetiq, offering 312 question/answer cards to make you an expert. See our GenevaLunch review of the game)
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The traffic was light at the end of the afternoon, with many people leaving work early to head for other parts of Switzerland for the national holiday, 1 August. Paleo has ended (read GL’s final day review), Geneva is gearing up for its Fetes de Geneve which starts Friday. Some towns in the region are celebrating with bonfires and fireworks Tuesday night while most are preparing for a party Wednesday evening.
GenevaLunch is taking a day off, but we’ll be here long enough Wednesday morning to share a few photos and remind you what the First of August is all about.
