Glace, Slush and Cold Delights: How Switzerland Enjoys Midsummer

There is that one afternoon in July when the heat shimmers over the asphalt, the fan visibly gives up, and even the cat exists only as a flat patch in the coolest corner of the room. Somewhere between the balcony and the kitchen comes the moment of truth: what actually helps now? In Switzerland the answer has been much the same for generations — something cold, something sweet, and ideally homemade.

Welcome to peak cooling season. We are taking you on a little journey through the coldest joy of summer: why ice cream is far more than a dessert, why of all things salt makes the difference — and how to turn a far-too-hot afternoon into a small celebration.

Why the Swiss call it „Glace"

Have you noticed that hardly anyone here orders „Eis"? From Lake Constance to Geneva we say Glace — a word borrowed straight from French that simply means „frozen". This small linguistic quirk says a lot about Switzerland: we live between language worlds and happily pick the loveliest word. And honestly — an ice cream on a stick on a warm summer evening just tastes like holidays, like the open-air pool, like walking barefoot over sun-warmed stone.

Swiss ice-cream history is worth savouring, too: the Zurich hospitality company Mövenpick, founded in 1948, later grew into a world-famous ice-cream brand. Creamy, generous, unashamedly good — proof that frozen sweetness and Swiss quality go beautifully together.

Facing the heat cleverly

Cooling down is more than a moment of pleasure; in high summer it is a small survival strategy. Plan the day well and the hottest hours become far gentler: air the rooms early and then close the blinds, drink plenty, sit out the midday heat in the shade — and reward yourself with something cold in the late afternoon. An ice-cold drink from an insulated tumbler that keeps the chill for hours makes all the difference between „getting through it" and „enjoying it".

Swiss summer culture is built around shared rituals anyway: the brave leap into cool lake water, the after-work ice cream on a park bench, the apéro in the shade as the sun sinks slowly behind the rooftops. Here, cooling down is rarely just practical — it is a small moment of pleasure, best shared with others. Which is exactly why it pays to prepare a little, rather than facing the hottest day of the year with an empty freezer.

Did you know? A widely told story holds that frozen sweet treats were already enjoyed in antiquity: Roman and Arab rulers are said to have had snow and ice fetched down from the mountains to refine them with fruit juices and honey — perhaps the earliest ancestors of today's sorbet.

Homemade tastes twice as good

The best thing about summer: the finest refreshment is made in your own kitchen. For ice pops you need little more than fruit juice, a little yoghurt and ice-lolly moulds — into the freezer overnight and your homemade treat is ready, entirely without artificial additives. If you like it fizzier, a slush maker brings the pool-side feeling home: half-frozen, crunchy syrup slush, just like at the kiosk but better dosed.

And for the big summer party, ice-cube moulds in playful shapes create the wow moment in the glass — from stars to oversized cubes that melt more slowly and keep your drink from turning watery. Small things, big effect.

What does your perfect summer day look like?

Whether it is a brightly coloured slush on the balcony, homemade ice pops for the kids or simply an ice-cold drink in the shade — the loveliest summer moments are often the simplest. Come and browse our range and put together your own little cooling-down kit. And tell us: what must never be missing on your hottest summer day?