🇨🇭 Canton guide
Solothurn: living, going out and working in the canton
Everything about the canton of Solothurn: institutions, tax for French cross-border workers (1983 agreement: tax in France), the Baroque town, the Weissenstein, the Goetheanum, and an interactive map.
Photo (cropped): JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- residents at the end of 2025 (Federal Statistical Office)
- 291,583
- of the population are foreign nationals (calculated, end of 2025)
- 25.9%
- tax of the French cross-border worker: the canton is in the 1983 agreement
- In France
- in the Kantonsrat, elected by proportional representation (Constitution, art. 66-67)
- 100 members
10 sections≈ 12 min readSources checked on November 6, 2026
The interactive map
35 places marked: landmarks, museums, transport, restaurants, nights out and events. Tap a point to learn more.
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Places on the map (35)
Base map © swisstopo · Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors. When the map appears, your browser loads the tiles from the servers of the Swiss Confederation (swisstopo), which can see your IP address.
Solothurn (Soleure) is a canton in north-western Switzerland with 291,583 residents, stretching from the Baroque old town of Solothurn on the Aare to the Jura (the Weissenstein), Olten and the Goetheanum in Dornach. Its capital is Solothurn and it is divided into five Amteien and ten districts. Solothurn is one of the eight cantons of the 1983 agreement: for a French cross-border worker this means you are taxed in France, not at source in Switzerland, on conditions that the cantonal tax office lists (proof of residence, 45 days, 40% telework).
This page gathers what you need to know to live, go out and work in the canton of Solothurn: language, institutions, tax, transport, food, museums, nature, traditions. The figures come from official sources listed at the bottom of the page. Venues open, close and change their hours: always check with them before you travel. The interactive map further down places eleven municipalities and about twenty sites, from Dornach to Schönenwerd. No list of restaurants was read for this canton: the page says so.
1. Solothurn at a glance
| Marker | What to know |
|---|---|
| Population | 291,583 residents at the end of 2025 (permanent resident population) |
| Foreign nationals | 75,418 people, or 25.9% |
| Capital | Solothurn (16,830 residents, 22.8% foreign), the “Hauptort” (art. 42) |
| Districts (FSO) | Olten (59,428), Wasseramt (56,147), Lebern (48,743), Gösgen (26,303), Gäu (23,418), Dorneck (21,261), Solothurn (16,830), Thal (15,651), Thierstein (15,529), Bucheggberg (8,273) |
| Municipalities on the map | Olten (19,265), Grenchen (18,973; 40.9%), Solothurn (16,830), Zuchwil (9,622; 45.0%), Biberist (9,531), Dornach (6,898), Oensingen (6,766), Balsthal (6,622), Gerlafingen (5,859; 42.3%), Schönenwerd (5,437), Breitenbach (4,440) |
| Parliament | Kantonsrat of 100 members (art. 66), proportional representation (art. 67); the Amteien are the constituencies (art. 43) |
| Government | Regierungsrat of 5 members (art. 77); it elects the Landammann for one year |
| Tax for a French cross-border worker | In France (1983 agreement), on conditions declared by the employer |
| Names that come up often | Solothurn, Weissenstein, Verenaschlucht, Olten, Dornach, Mariastein |
The share of foreign nationals is calculated from the Federal Statistical Office table “Permanent resident population” (2025); the figures per district and per municipality come from the same table. The Constitution is dated 8 June 1986 and has been in force since 1 January 1988; the version we read is the one with the status of 1 August 2025.
2. Language
The Constitution we read contains no article on the official language, so we do not state one. The official texts we read (Constitution, Steueramt pages, institutions' sites) are in German, and the contract, payslip and forms generally are too; people speak the Alemannic dialect. No main-language statistics were read, so we give no percentage of French speakers. For paperwork, count on German or English; with 25.9% foreign nationals (45.0% in Zuchwil, 40.9% in Grenchen) you will not be the only one not speaking the dialect, but that is not a rule. The Steueramt uses the French term “Attestation de résidence fiscale française” in its documents.
3. How the canton is governed
| Institution | What the Constitution says |
|---|---|
| Right to vote | Residents of the canton with Swiss citizenship, aged 18 or over (art. 25); the right is exercised at the place of residence |
| Elections | The people elect the Kantonsrat and the Regierungsrat (art. 27), and can recall them with 6,000 signatures (art. 28) |
| Kantonsrat | 100 members (art. 66), by proportional representation (art. 67); five Amteien, each split into two districts, serve as constituencies (art. 43) |
| Regierungsrat | 5 members (art. 77); it elects the Landammann and a deputy for one year |
| Terms of office | Four years (art. 61) |
| Popular initiative | 3,000 voters or ten municipalities within 18 months (art. 30); preliminary check by the chancellery |
| Mandatory vote | Constitutional amendments, initiatives for a total revision, laws passed by less than two thirds of the Kantonsrat, some new expenditure (art. 35) |
| Optional referendum | 1,500 voters or five municipalities, within 90 days (art. 36); one-off expenditure above CHF 1 million or recurring above CHF 100,000 |
| Capital | Solothurn (art. 42) |
A cross-border worker has no right to vote in the canton: they vote neither in cantonal or municipal elections nor in votes.
4. Working in Solothurn as a cross-border worker
| Point | What we read |
|---|---|
| 1983 agreement | The Federal Council signed it on behalf of Bern, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel and Jura: Solothurn is one of them |
| Principle | The Steueramt writes that Switzerland does not tax French cross-border workers at source; the tax is collected in France, which pays back 4.5% of gross income to Switzerland |
| Conditions for the exemption | Daily return, proof of residence in France (form 2041-AS/ASK), no weekly stay in Switzerland, regular return after work, at most 45 days of nights or business stays in Switzerland or a third country, telework not exceeding 40% |
| Definition of a cross-border worker | Resident of one of the two states, working in the other, who in principle goes every day from home to the workplace and comes back |
| Employer's duties | Declare every year the gross wages of French cross-border workers (“Meldeliste” form, by 31 January of the following year), attach every year the “attestation de résidence fiscale française”, and since 2025 declare the telework share; the declaration is free |
| Beware | The exemption is only possible if a complete declaration has been submitted to the Steueramt |
| Employers concerned | Also companies headquartered outside the canton that have a permanent establishment in Solothurn |
| Cantonal minimum wage | Not read; check the collective agreement of your sector (see our guide on the CCNT) |
| Number of cross-border workers | Not read |
The details of your case (quasi-residence, 45 days, telework, health insurance) depend on your situation: follow our guides rather than this page.
5. Getting around
| Means | What we read |
|---|---|
| Solothurn station | The S21 line links Solothurn and Moutier |
| Seilbahn Weissenstein (Weissensteinstrasse 187, Oberdorf) | Gondola: about 10 minutes to 1,280 m; on 7 November 2026 open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; hours are updated every day at 8 am |
| Aare-Schifffahrt | Cruise of nearly three hours between Solothurn and Biel, from May to October; the storks of Altreu, Büren, the Port lock |
| Olten | Since December 2025, the former bus stop “Konradstrasse” at the Munzigerplatz, behind the Kunstmuseum, has been renamed for the museum quarter |
| Verenaschlucht | On foot from the centre of Solothurn: 20 to 30 minutes, 2 km, suitable for pushchairs |
We did not read a detailed network map, timetables or fares. Check your journey on the SBB website before choosing where to live.
6. Eating and drinking
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Restaurants of the Verenaschlucht | Solothurn Tourismus names the Restaurant Kreuzen, the Restaurant Einsiedelei and the Restaurant Pintli |
| Berggasthöfe on the Weissenstein | Mountain inns offering local specialities; the top station's kiosk-Beizli was closed on 7 November 2026 |
| Seilpark Balmberg | Kiosk with snacks and drinks, picnics allowed, fire pit at the forest edge; Waldbeiz Seilpark (a small excursion restaurant) |
| Aare-Schifffahrt | Breakfast, lunch and regional specialities on board |
| Naturpark Thal | From the mountain restaurant to the elegant Landgasthof; the “Gastropartner” serve regional specialities |
No list of restaurants was read for this canton and no culinary speciality is cited for lack of a source: better no dish than the wrong one.
7. What to see and do
Solothurn and around
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| St. Ursen-Kathedrale (Propsteigasse 10) | Emblem of the town, the most important Swiss building of early Neoclassicism, in pale marble; built 1762 to 1773 to plans by Gaetano Matteo Pisoni; the number eleven everywhere: a staircase of 3 × 11 steps, 11 altars, 11 bells |
| Kunstmuseum Solothurn (Werkhofstrasse 30) | Free admission; “SCHAU” until 3 January 2027, “Freispiel” until 31 January 2027 |
| Naturmuseum Solothurn (Klosterplatz 2) | Virtual Dinopfad, autumn-winter children's programme; “Krabbler” opening on 10 November 2026 at 6:30 pm |
| Museum Blumenstein (Blumensteinweg 12) | Tarock as 300 years ago, Weihnachten im Blumenstein on 13 December 2026 |
| Schloss Waldegg | Baroque castle of the Besenval family, gardens |
| Verenaschlucht | Gorge with a hermitage, the Magdalene and Mount of Olives grottoes |
The Jura, Olten and the rest of the canton
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Weissenstein | 1,280 m, planet trail, Juragarten (about 200 plants, open all year, opened on 27 June 1957) |
| Naturpark Thal (Hölzlistrasse 57, Balsthal) | Between the Weissenstein and the Wasserfallen; Holzweg Thal, Wolfsschluchtweg, Juraweg Thal; office Tuesday-Friday 9-12 and 2-5 pm |
| Seilpark Balmberg | 12 courses (3 for children), 242 platforms, 3 hours of climbing at most |
| Kunstmuseum Olten (Kirchgasse 8) | “Aufbruch in die Farbe” extended until 10 January 2027 |
| Goetheanum (Rüttiweg 45, Dornach) | School of Spiritual Science, seat of the General Anthroposophical Society |
| Kloster Mariastein | Monastery and basilica, daily prayers from 6:30 am to 8 pm |
8. Bars, nights out and venues
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Kulturfabrik Kofmehl (Solothurn) | Concerts and parties; Uriah Heep on 15 November 2026, Oropax on the 19th, Open Season & Jahcoustix on the 20th, Mike Müller on the 26th |
| Stadttheater Solothurn (Theatergasse 18) | Theatre of the TOBS (Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn): the opera “Trennt euch!”, “Dann mach doch Limonade, bitch” |
| Stadttheater Olten (Frohburgstrasse 1) | Scandinavian Night on 10 November 2026, Hanna & Harald on the 13th, Lapsus on the 14th, Schneewittli on the 15th |
| Goetheanum | Lectures and conferences open to the public |
| Solothurner Filmtage | Swiss film festival, “Prix de Soleure”; dates of the next edition not read |
No list of bars or clubs was read for this canton, and no going-out hours: we kept only the venues whose website we read.
9. Traditions and highlights
| Event | When | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Goetheanum conference | 27 to 29 November 2026 | Conference on the building motif of the second Goetheanum |
| Concert “Wachet auf” | 29 November 2026, 4 pm | At the Kloster Mariastein |
| Whisky Talk | 26 November 2026, 7:15 pm | Museum Blumenstein |
| Weihnachten im Blumenstein | 13 December 2026 | Music at 10:30 am and 4 pm |
| Fondue boat trip “Öufi” | Dates not read | Fondue on the Aare from Solothurn, offer listed by Solothurn Tourismus |
| Solothurner Filmtage | Dates not read | Swiss film festival, “Prix de Soleure” |
Sources
- Constitution of the canton of Solothurn (111.1): status of 1 August 2025; art. 25, 27, 28, 30, 35, 36, 42, 43, 61, 66, 67, 77. Text in German.
- Federal Statistical Office: permanent resident population (table px-x-0102010000_101, 2025): population, foreign nationals, districts, municipalities.
- Agreement of 11 April 1983 on the taxation of cross-border workers.
- Solothurn Steueramt: declaring the gross payroll and telework share of French cross-border workers; letter to employers (December 2024); instructions for the declaration list.
- Site guides, checked against official sources: G permit, contract and salary (CCNT).
- Solothurn Tourismus: cathedral, Weissenstein, Verenaschlucht, Aare-Schifffahrt, Juragarten, Naturpark Thal, Seilpark Balmberg; Seilbahn Weissenstein; Bielersee Schifffahrtsgesellschaft.
- Kunstmuseum Solothurn; Naturmuseum Solothurn; Museum Blumenstein; Schloss Waldegg; Kunstmuseum Olten; Goetheanum; Kloster Mariastein.
- Kulturfabrik Kofmehl; TOBS; Stadttheater Olten; Solothurner Filmtage.
- Map coordinates: © OpenStreetMap contributors; base map © swisstopo.
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