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Say cheese: Switzerland re-legalises raclette and fondue in cable cars

Cheese and altitude lovers rejoice: it is now legal once more to consume two of Switzerland’s best-known dishes while riding in a ski gondola. This is what you should know.

Published: 11 April 2022 13:07 CEST

Fondue

Fondue is a favourite of the Swiss. Photo by Angela Pham on Unsplash

It is entirely possible that you have not been aware that eating raclette or fondue while riding in a cable car has been outlawed in Europe since 2019.

Until then, a number of Swiss ski lift companies routinely served these dishes to passengers taking scenic rides over the Alps.

However, when the European Union introduced a new law banning open fires in closed cable cars, Switzerland had to reluctantly follow suit, even though no incidents of any kind had ever been reported in the country.

READ MORE: The 12 strange laws in Switzerland you need to know

However, Swiss legislation allows exceptions to European standards under certain circumstances — in this particular case, by ensuring that the two melted cheese dishes don’t increase the risk of fire.

Photo by Pixabay

Rather than fan the flames, the Swiss Ski Lift Association (RMS) has found a solution to ensure fire safety: the table in the cabin will be firmly fixed and made of fireproof material.

RMS submitted its proposal to the Federal Office of Transport, which has re-legalised the practice.

From now on, “the guests will [again] enjoy a beautiful view and a delicious menu without having to worry about safety”, said RMS director Berno Stoffel.

After three years of cheese-less rides, the fate of ski-lift fondues and raclettes is no longer up in the air — but the cheese dishes certainly are.

READ MORE: Ten varieties of cheese you should be able to identify if you live in Switzerland

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Knives out: How the iconic Swiss army knife will change its look

The red army knives with a Swiss cross logo are as much part of Switzerland’s image as cheese, chocolate and yodelling.

Originally, the knife’s primary purpose was to help troops perform basic tasks such as cutting string and wires, opening a can of food, as well as assembling and disassembling their service rifles.

To this day, each new recruit receives a basic ‘Soldier’ knife at the beginning of their service. This particular model features a blade, can opener, screwdriver, blade, wood saw, cap lifter, wire stripper, reamer, and key ring — all the accoutrements needed to defend Switzerland.

However, the sharp-looking pocket knife is about to become a little less sharp.

Why is that?

The knife’s manufacturer, Victorinox, is working on a model without a blade — that is, a ‘knife’ without an actual knife.

The increasing safety regulations around the world have prompted the company to make this drastic change.

“The blade creates a weapon image in some markets,” company CEO Carl Elsener said in an interview, pointing out that about 80 percent of knives produced by Victorinox are exported.

This is not the first time that the company has been confronted with the fact that the blade of its pocket knife is seen as a possible weapon.

After the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001, sales of army knives fell by over 30 percent overnight, and the tool was no longer allowed to be carried in hand luggage on board planes.

“This event showed us that we must not become dependent on a single business area,” he said.

Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

What is going to happen now?

Elsner didn’t specify whether all the products will be blade-less, or if some, especially those intended for the Swiss army, will still include the knife.

He did mention, however, that the company will continue to manufacture ‘knives’ to be used by non-military personnel, including fishermen, cyclists, hunters, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

That’s because some of the modern knives feature a wide variety of modern attachments for practically all purposes and hobbies, such as fish scaler, metal saw, pliers, chisel, screwdriver, scissors, magnifying glass, pen, can and bottle opener, and tweezers, among dozens others.

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