A unique collaboration
Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, June 10th 2026.
FELCO, a global leader in professional cutting tools recognized worldwide since 1945, is joining forces with the Maison de l’Absinthe, an interpretation centre nestled in the heart of the Val-de-Travers: a museum, bar, garden and excursion hub. Together, they have turned a simple idea into something tangible: a limited-edition gift set and a shared discovery experience, born from the pleasure of coming together and the desire to share.
In Switzerland’s canton of Neuchâtel, the Val-de-Ruz and the Val-de-Travers are far more than neighbouring valleys. These two regions, stretching between plains and mountains, embody deeply rooted craftsmanship and knowledge passed down from generation to generation, reaching far beyond this historically distinctive canton, true living traditions.
A story of people
It all begins with a plant, a symbol of a region. From this simple idea emerged the encounter between FELCO and the Maison de l’Absinthe, two Neuchâtel-based entities that chose to join forces in a spirit of shared innovation, transforming an intuition into a sensory experience. The limited-edition gift set and accompanying discovery offer are its most direct expression.
This collaboration is first and foremost a human story. Raphaël Gasser, Director of the Maison de l’Absinthe, and Nabil Francis, CEO of FELCO, have known each other for years. Christelle, his wife, is the direct descendant of FELCO’s founder and has herself created a Exhibition to tell her family’s story. Raphaël, from a family of industrialists from Le Locle, took over the Maison de l’Absinthe in 2024; a meeting of fresh experience. They work the same way, think the same way. When they began exploring connections between their two worlds, they found them: traces of the Val-de-Travers in FELCO’s family history, shared values , precision, craftsmanship, and deep local roots. Everything comes together, as so often in Neuchâtel.
From this friendship emerged an exclusive gift set designed to invite a sensory and tangible discovery of absinthe. It contains a sachet of absinthe seeds, a FELCO x MABS pruning shear specially designed for this edition, a sample of absinthe from the Val-de-Travers, as well as information on the plant, related botanicals, and the history of this mythical drink.
The experience follows an almost initiatory logic: sowing, observing, caring, pruning with precision, and then discovering one of the most emblematic expressions of this botanical heritage. “The colour of the louche depends on the precise and decisive moment of the cut.” cites Blaise Mulhauser, Director of the Neuchâtel Botanical Garden.
One day, two worlds
More than an object, this gift set is a starting point. It is the person who opens it who will tell its story — by sowing a plant, discovering a region, and making their own tradition that brought global renown to the Val-de-Travers in the 19th century, when hundreds of families cultivated wormwood in their fields. And it is by holding a FELCO pruning shear for the first time, its lightness, its immediate handling, the precision and sharpness of its cut, that one understands why gesture matters as much as intention. A knowledge to rediscover, to cultivate, to pass on.
The partnership extends to a discovery offer allowing visitors to experience two emblematic worlds of the canton in a single day. The morning begins at FELCO, where visitors immerse themselves in the company’s history through the FELCO Exhibition.
After lunch, the afternoon continues at the Maison de l’Absinthe, located in the former district courthouse of Môtiers in the Val-de-Travers, in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. There, visitors discover a modern and interactive museum dedicated to the history of the “Green Fairy”: from its origins to prohibition, and through to its contemporary revival. The focus is placed on cultivation, distillation, and the producers who continue this tradition. The visit concludes with a guided tasting highlighting the aromatic richness of absinthe.
Two houses, one shared spirit
“The collaboration with Christelle and Nabil fills us with deep joy. Absinthe was once known worldwide, today, it is FELCO that carries this radiance. Both were born in the same canton, from the same soil: precision, craftsmanship, and high standards in execution. If we are recognised, it is because our products are exceptional and our work is rigorous. That is what brought us together,” says Raphaël Gasser, Director of the Maison de l’Absinthe.
Christelle Francis-Flisch, granddaughter of FELCO founder Félix Flisch and Creative Director of FELCO, adds: “As a company rich in tradition, it is important to us to support original initiatives from the canton of Neuchâtel such as the Maison de l’Absinthe. We look forward to welcoming visitors who will join us on this unique journey.”
Availability
The FELCO x Maison de l’Absinthe limited edition is available exclusively at shop.maison-absinthe.ch/en-ch .
About the Maison de l’Absinthe
Located in Couvet, in the heart of the Val-de-Travers — in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel and the birthplace of absinthe — the Maison de l’Absinthe is a unique interpretation centre. A modern and interactive museum, tasting bar, botanical garden, and starting point for excursions into the valley, it tells the story of the “Green Fairy” from its origins in the 18th century through prohibition to its contemporary revival. It celebrates the producers who perpetuate this living tradition and invites visitors to immerse themselves in a world where pleasure, sharing, and transformation are at the heart of every experience.
