France is home to the largest community of Swiss Abroad. But this attraction to France is not new: the Roman Museum in Avenches is taking a closer look at the mass migration of Helvetii to the Atlantic coast. Everyone knows Julius Caesar. What is less well known is that the Roman general’s entry into the pantheon of great conquerors is closely linked to the history of Switzerland. Indeed, Caesar used the migration of the Helvetii as a pretext to intervene in Gaul, the prelude to his most famous military campaign. Having settled on the Swiss Plateau, the Helvetii wanted to move to Saintonge, in southwestern France, to escape the pressure of the Germanic tribes. According to Caesar’s description in the first book of The Gallic War, 368,000 Helvetii went into exile, having burnt down their villages and crops to prevent any thought of returning. But they were crushed by the Roman army at Bibracte (Burgundy) and the survivors were forced to return home under Roman control. No physical ...
