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While Marmi makes further plans for his travels, his distant relatives treat themselves to a fondue for the first time. Marmi is the main topic of conversation.

At Biel Zoo, a passageway leads from the marmot burrow under the fondue restaurant, where the marmots can nibble on cheese. Although they otherwise only feed on juicy green fodder such as grasses, herbs, buds, shoots and roots. But today they’re having fondue. Melted cheese.

It’s a dish that is also popular outside Switzerland. Legends surround its origins. But the real story is unknown. Fondue has been a national dish since the 1950s. In addition to cheese, cornflour, garlic, schnapps or white wine, two other important ingredients of the meal are good humour and conviviality. These are also popular with marmots, who live together in large groups.

Marmots (scientific name: Marmota) can weigh up to eight kilogrammes and grow up to 70 centimetres tall. They are as Swiss as chocolate or cheese. The Alpine marmot, also known as the Marmeli, Murmeli, Mankei or Murmel, belongs to the squirrel family – it is a rodent. Marmots hibernate from the end of September to mid-April. During this period, the burrow is lined with hay and blocked on the outside with a cone of earth and stones. The animals snuggle up close to each other inside the burrow.

But now they’re awake. Wide awake. And talking about Marmi’s adventures around Switzerland. They miss Marmi. And wonder what he might be doing right now. Marmi has always been sporty, laughs Uncle Urs. “Unlike us, we’re quite lazy.” He dips a piece of bread into the fondue. And loses it. Everyone laughs. “The next round is on you!”