Winner of the 2023 Swiss Literature Prize, Galel is a contemporary Swiss novel set in the mountains, where friendship, solitude and the passing of time are shaped by life at altitude. Through a poetic and restrained style, Fanny Desarzens captures the beauty of ordinary moments and the relationships that develop over the years.

Paul, Jonas and Galel share a deep connection to the mountains. Every summer they reunite at La Baïta, the mountain refuge run by Paul, where work, friendship and shared memories come together. More than a story about the mountains, Galel is a novel about the people who return to them year after year.

We selected Galel because it is a story about choosing what matters most, even when that means taking a less conventional path. Set in the Swiss mountains, it celebrates a life shaped by nature, friendship and the freedom to choose what truly matters.

Written by Fanny Desarzens, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary French-speaking Swiss literature, Galel received the 2023 Swiss Literature Prize. Her writing is recognised for its sensitivity, precision and deep connection to the Swiss landscape.

Details

• Author: Fanny Desarzens
• Title: Galel
• Category: Contemporary Swiss novel
• Award: Swiss Literature Prize 2023
• Language: French or German
• French publisher: Éditions Slatkine (printed in Geneva, Switzerland)
• German publisher: Kampa Verlag (printed in Germany)