As an Auslander, or more correctly, as a non-Swiss citizen, one can claim 'Heimatrecht' to declare a will made in one's country of citizenship valid.. and thus avoid the Swiss obligatory inheritance laws.

My husband and I have written our US wills; we then wrote a notice (handwritten, of course) declaring 'Heimatrecht', and gave that to the Gemeinde Notary.

This was very important to me, as everything goes to the mutts - which would not be allowed under Swiss law.

(Our executor is based in the US, so for practicality's sake we have also appointed an attorney here in Switzerland to handle whatever needs to be done on this side, should we shuffle off this mortal coil whilst resident here.)