List of ambassadors of Switzerland to France

The Ambassador of Switzerland to France is the representative of the government of Switzerland in France and thus responsible for maintaining diplomatic relations between Switzerland and France.

First permanent Swiss diplomatic representation in France
The worldwide first ever permanent Swiss diplomatic representation was opened in Paris in April 1798, at the time of the Helvetic Republic. On 28 April 1798, the Helvetic Directorate officially appointed the first envoy, Peter Josef Zeltner. However, Zeltner's posting to Paris took place already one day earlier, on 27 April. Today, the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation as well as the residence of the Swiss Ambassador are housed in the Hôtel de Besenval in Paris.

The early years: The era of the gentlemen diplomats
The beginnings of Swiss professional diplomacy were modest and accompanied by a certain skepticism. The focus of criticism was the associated costs. Anyone interested in becoming a diplomat in the early years was advised that, in addition to a degree in law, knowledge of modern history, language skills in the Swiss national languages and English – they should have above all something at their disposal: Their own assets. The Swiss Confederation expressly pointed out that a diplomat's salary – even if he is head of mission – will not be enough to cover his living costs. Accordingly, the first Swiss diplomats came from wealthy, mostly industrial and patrician families. This only changed with the adjustment of salaries and the introduction of an admissions competition, the so-called concours diplomatique, which was developed in 1955, under the leadership of Walter Stucki, and finally introduced in 1956.

"It is true that until relatively recently Swiss diplomacy was primarily the preserve of members of noble and wealthy families."

The last years of the gentlemen diplomats in post-war Paris
It is interesting that in the period after the end of World War II until the 1980s, Switzerland was mostly represented in Paris by people who had not had experience as ambassadors, but who otherwise enjoyed a high reputation. As a rule, they stayed in their posts for a long time, some of them up to 10 years. And, surprisingly, the majority of them did not come from the Romandy.

First permanent French diplomatic representation in Switzerland
In the aftermath of the Battle of Marignano, the Paix Perpétuelle (Perpetual Peace) of 1516 and the mercenary alliance of 1521, France had already opened a permanent diplomatic representation in 1522 on Swiss territory, however, without a permanent residence for the ambassador. Instead, the French ambassador traveled with the members of the Tagsatzung to the respective venues.

Solothurn – the City of Ambassadors
It was not until 1530, that the French ambassador moved into permanent residence on Swiss territory, in the city of Solothurn. The ambassador had his seat in the so-called Ambassadorenhof, a building, that still exists today. In 1717, however, a major fire destroyed large parts of the ambassador's residence. In 1725, the residence was rebuilt, according to the plans of the Vorarlberg architect Franz Beer. The first French ambassador to move into the Ambassadorenhof was Louis Daugerant, Seigneur de Boisrigaut. The presence of the French ambassador significantly increased the importance of Solothurn and unofficially made the city a center of the political, economic and social life of the Old Swiss Confederacy. Hence still today, the city of Solothurn is called the City of Ambassadors. However, the last French ambassador left Solothurn in 1792 during the French Revolution. Since 1799, the French ambassador has resided in Bern.

In the heyday of the 18th century, many personalities visited the French ambassadors in Solothurn. Among the most famous were Voltaire and Giacomo Casanova, who visited Ambassador Anne-Théodore Chevignard, Chevalier de Chavigny, Comte de Toulongeon et Baron d'Uchon, in 1756 and 1758 (Voltaire) and in May and June 1760 respectively (Casanova).

Monsieur l'Ambassadeur and the Special Relationship
An interesting aspect of Franco-Swiss diplomatic history is, that, until 1953, only the French head of mission was allowed to hold the title of ambassador in Switzerland. It was only from February 1953, that all foreign heads of mission in Switzerland, previously envoys, were allowed to hold the title.

Kings, presidents and ambassadors
The Special Relationship between Switzerland and France can be traced back a long way. A turning point in this regard was certainly the Battle of Marignano and the resulting peace treaty, the so-called Paix Perpétuelle (Perpetual Peace) of 1516, and the mercenary alliance of 1521 resulting from these peace negotiations. The renewal of this mercenary alliance, the so-called Soldallianz von Luzern, on 18 November 1663 in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris in the presence of King Louis XIV went down in history as one of the king's most important diplomatic achievements. A testimony to its importance is the so-called Alliance Tapestry, a copy of which is on display in the Hôtel de Besenval.

The mutual appreciation was repeatedly expressed at the highest level, which also led to personal friendships:

"Le grand Ambassadeur et l'ami de la France."

Ambassadors of Switzerland to France
"The head of mission in Paris realizes very early that, in a capital of the Occident which adds to the prestige of an unparalleled past, the reality of an intense political and international life, it is not enough to be a diplomat. Simple professional virtuosity, even at its peak, is not everything, far from it. Access to the capital's circles, and therefore not only to official circles, puts the representative of a country small or large, weak or powerful, distant or close, in contact with an intellectual and social elite as demanding for themselves as for the foreigner."

From 1798 until 1957 as the Swiss envoy, called Minister
Charles Édouard Lardy was one of the first professional Swiss diplomats (career diplomat) ''Under Walter Stucki's leadership, the new examination procedure for admission to the diplomatic service was developed in 1955. This process is also known as the democratization process of the diplomatic service. It was the beginning of the end of the era of the gentlemen diplomats''
 * 1798–1800: Peter Josef Zeltner (1765-1830)
 * 1800–1800: Gottlieb Abraham von Jenner (1765–1834)
 * 1800–1803: Philipp Albert Stapfer (1766–1840)
 * 1803–1814: Antoine Constantin de Maillardoz, Marquis de Maillardoz (1765–1832)
 * 1814–1847: Georg von Tschann (1777–1847)
 * 1848–1857: Josef Hyazint Barmann (1800–1885)
 * 1857–1883: Johann Konrad Kern (1808–1888)
 * 1883–1917: Charles Édouard Lardy (1847–1923)
 * 1917–1938: Alphonse Dunant (1869–1942)
 * 1938–1944 (from 1940 until 1944 in Vichy): Walter Stucki (1888–1963)
 * 1945–1949: Carl J. Burckhardt (1891–1974)
 * 1949–1956: Peter Anton von Salis (1898–1982)

From 1957 as the Swiss ambassador – or the upgrade from a legation to an embassy
''At the beginning, Pierre Micheli had the rank of minister. In March 1957 he became ambassador, when the Swiss Legation was upgraded to an embassy'' ''Agostino Soldati, who was extremely popular and well-connected in Parisian society, died in office on 11 December 1966. On the day of his death, General Charles de Gaulle, President of the French Republic, sent a telegram of condolence to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Hans Schaffner, which he signed with "Le Général de Gaulle." Charles de Gaulle also sent a personal letter of condolence, dated 11 December 1966, to the widow, Marguerite Soldati-André-Thome, Comtesse André de Contades (1907–2001), called Daisy. This letter he signed with "Charles de Gaulle"''
 * 1956–1961: Pierre Micheli (1905–1989)
 * 1961–1966: Agostino Soldati (1910–1966)
 * 1967–1977: Pierre Dupont (1912–1993)
 * 1977–1987: François de Ziegler (1922–2006)
 * 1987–1993: Carlo Jagmetti (* 1932)
 * 1993–1997: Edouard Brunner (1932–2007)
 * 1997–2002: Benedict de Tscharner (1937–2019)
 * 2002–2007: François Nordmann (* 1942)
 * 2007–2011: Ulrich Lehner (* 1954)
 * 2011–2014: Jean-Jacques de Dardel (* 1954)
 * 2014–2018: Bernardino Regazzoni (* 1957)
 * 2018–2020: Livia Leu (* 1961)
 * 2020–today: Roberto Balzaretti (* 1965)

Seats of the Swiss diplomatic representation in Paris since the mid-19th century

 * 1857–1859: 14 Avenue des Champs-Elysées
 * 1860–1864: 3 Rue d'Aumale
 * 1865–1883: 3 Rue Blanche
 * 1892–1894: 4 Rue Cambon
 * 1895–1918: 15bis Rue de Marignan
 * 1919–1938: 51 Avenue Hoche
 * since 1938: 142 Rue de Grenelle

La maison française la plus suisse qui ait jamais été
In order to fulfill his main task of maintaining diplomatic relations, an ambassador depends on having the appropriate framework conditions. This includes, above all, an appropriate embassy residence that reflects the prestige of a nation.

The Swiss Confederation was lucky and in 1938 was able to buy what is probably La maison française la plus suisse qui ait jamais été (the most Swiss French house ever): The Hôtel de Besenval on the Rue de Grenelle, a residence full of Franco-Swiss past, embodied by Pierre Victor, Baron de Besenval de Brunstatt, a Swiss military officer in French service, whom Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve once called "Le Suisse le plus français qui ait jamais été" (the most French Swiss ever).

"At the Hôtel de Besenval you were sure to find not only the elite of Parisian society, but above all a wonderfully balanced representation of the most diverse circles of society from politics, literature and art."