Asterix in Switzerland is one of many of the indomitable Gaul's adventures where he and Obelix frolic around in a foreign country steeped in national stereotypes.
Goscinny and Uderzo do the ancient Swiss (or Helvetii) proud here by portraying them as a nation obsessed with cleanliness, time keeping, banking, yodelling and melting cheese. Unfortunately, ancient Rome predates the arrival of cocoa beans into Europe so we couldn't have the chocolate stereotype too.
For a change though Asterix and Obelix are doing a good turn for a Roman, a tax inspector who has been poisoned by a corrupt governor, the superbly pantomime villain Flavus. Getafix sends Asterix and Obelix to Switzerland to find a rare Alpine flower which is vital for the cure but Flavus finds out and sends word to his fellow governor in Switzerland to stop them at all costs...
This is a high point in Asterix with an excellent plot and hilarious charactisations especially the main villan Varius Flavus who is a truly odious individual. It is also good to see the usual Asterix universe turned upside down a bit with a Roman as good guy.
The humour in this book is also among the best, including Obelix's complaining about having to eat cheese with holes in it when he is hungry. As he says, holes won't fill a hole!
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