Bilateral relations Switzerland–France

France, as a neighbouring country and founding member of the European Union (EU), is a priority partner of Swiss foreign policy. Relations between the two countries are governed by numerous bilateral treaties and by the agreements concluded between Switzerland and the EU.

Switzerland and France share a border of almost 600km in length. Cross-border exchanges are very intensive, especially in the Geneva conurbation, the Lake Geneva and Mont-Blanc regions, the Upper Rhine and along the Jura Arc region. More than 220,000 people cross the Swiss-French border every day to work in Switzerland.

Bilateral cooperation focuses in particular on economic matters, cooperation in research and innovation, and infrastructure projects.

France and Switzerland also conduct regular exchanges on current international issues and on cooperation in multilateral bodies.

Treaty database 

France is Switzerland's fifth most important trading partner after Germany, the United States, China and Italy. In 2023, the volume of trade amounted to CHF 37.5 billion. Switzerland is France's third top foreign investor after the United States and Germany, with investments amounting to EUR 107 billion (2022). There are more than 1,300 Swiss companies in France, which together employ around 300,000 people. Switzerland is the country's leading creator of jobs in its manufacturing sector. French investments in Switzerland amount to CHF 44.1 billion, making it Switzerland's fifth largest foreign investor (2022). France is the third largest creator of jobs in Switzerland, after Germany and the United States, with more than 1,800 companies employing over 83,600 people. More than 220,000 French citizens commute across the Swiss–French border for work.

Country information, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO

Switzerland and France maintain close relations in the areas of education and research. Regular meetings are organised between the Swiss State Secretariat for Education Research and Innovation (SERI) and the French Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research. The two countries cooperate closely within several programmes and organisations at the European level, such as CERN and the European Space Agency (ESA). Thanks to their joint efforts at the ESA, in 2019 the CHEOPS telescope satellite mission to determine the size, composition and atmospheric properties of extrasolar planets was launched.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists, SERI

Cultural exchanges between Switzerland and France are long-standing, rich and diverse. For more than 30 years, Pro Helvetia has financed the 'Centre culturel suisse' in Paris, which is mandated to promote and disseminate contemporary Swiss arts and culture. The Swiss Embassy in Paris and the Consulates General of Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg facilitate and support communication around Swiss cultural events, which feature in the programmes of numerous French partner institutions. Swiss and French government stakeholders with a mandate in arts and culture meet regularly.

In 2023, over 209,000 Swiss nationals were registered with the Swiss embassy and consulates-general in France. Swiss nationals in France form the largest Swiss community abroad. Some 170,000 French citizens have their permanent residence in Switzerland.

In 1798 Switzerland opened its first diplomatic representation abroad, in Paris. Soon after, a Swiss consulate opened in Bordeaux. At the end of the 19th century, France was the only nation with a diplomatic representation in Bern.

France, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (de, fr, it)