Now, James, how can you of all people forget the pharma companies of Basel? And up our little valley live the world's second biggest provider of artificial joints and the world's second biggest second biggest provider of dental implants. You probably have little knowledge of the Swiss engineering industry, of which the watchmakers are the most visible manifestation. The chemical companies of Basel are among the world's heavyweights, and Nestlé is the world's largest food company by far. Not bad for a country of seven million people with difficult geography and no natural resources worth speaking of.

And how exactly does the existence or otherwise of famous Swiss people interact with your perception of Switzerland as a boring place? Do famous people frequent the night life of your preferred destinations?

I gather you don't like Belgium either!