France–Switzerland relations


Diplomatic relations between France and Switzerland have traditionally been close, notably through important economic and cultural exchanges.
Switzerland and France, share about 600 km of border and a language.

History

In 1516, France and Switzerland signed a Treaty of Perpetual Peace. A military treaty was signed in 1521.
France has been appointing ambassadors to Switzerland since the 16th century and Switzerland's first representation abroad, in 1798, was in French capital Paris. By the end of the 19th century, the only country with a legation in the Swiss capital Bern was France.
As of 2015, there were four state visits of Presidents of France in Switzerland: Armand Fallières in August 1910, François Mitterrand on 14–15 April 1983, Jacques Chirac in 1998 and François Hollande on 15–16 April 2015.

Economy

194,000 Swiss people live in France - the largest Swiss community outside Switzerland - while 163,000 French people live in Switzerland - the largest French community outside France. 150,000 French nationals cross the border to work in Switzerland, half of all foreign cross-border commuters.
France is Switzerland's third-largest trading partner and the two are integrated economically via Swiss treaties with the European Union. Switzerland is also part of the Schengen Area, which abolishes border checks between member states.

Resident diplomatic missions