Gauloises cigarettes in Switzerland: varieties, tobacco and strength
Brand guide · Cigarettes in Switzerland
A winged Gallic helmet on a blue background: that's how you spot Gauloises on the shelf in an instant. The French brand is closely tied to dark tabac brun. Here you'll find out which Gauloises cigarettes are sold in Switzerland, what sets Brunes apart from Blondes, whether Gauloises blue or red is stronger, and which alternative made with Swiss tobacco is out there.
In short
- Manufacturer: The Gauloises name has existed since 1910. Today the brand belongs to Imperial Brands, and the cigarettes are made in Poland.
- Two worlds: The Brunes rely on dark, air-cured tobacco. The Blondes rely on light, Virginia-style tobacco.
- Varieties in Switzerland: seven variants, from Blondes Bleu and Blondes Rouges to Brunes without filter and Disque Bleu.
- Blue or red: According to retailer figures, Gauloises Blondes Bleu have higher values than Gauloises Blondes Rouges.
- Alternative: Heimat Original Hell and Original Dunkel made with Swiss tobacco, free from additives and traceable to the field.
Gauloises: the story of a French cult brand
The brand is older than its name. From 1876 there was a cigarette in France called "Hongroises". In 1910 it was renamed Gauloises. Behind it stood the French tobacco monopoly, later known as SEITA. The same year also saw the launch of its sister brand Gitanes.
The first Gauloises came in two versions: Caporal and Maryland. The Caporal doux followed in 1925. Maryland remains a variety of its own to this day, while the Caporal lives on in the Brunes.
The brand's signature is a winged Gallic helmet. In 1936 the graphic designer Marcel Jacno redesigned the pack. He reworked the helmet and introduced the blue that still belongs to the brand today. The slogan "Liberté toujours", meaning "freedom always", is well known too.
The owners have changed as well. SEITA merged with the Spanish manufacturer Tabacalera to form the Altadis group. In 2008 Imperial Tobacco took over Altadis, and since 2016 the company has been called Imperial Brands. In Switzerland, Imperial Brands distributes Gauloises directly, while in Germany distribution runs through its subsidiary Reemtsma. Today the cigarettes are made in Poland.
About the name: Gauloises is the feminine plural of "gaulois", meaning "the Gallic ones", and is pronounced roughly "goloas", with a soft s at the end.
Tabac brun and tabac blond: what makes Gauloises special
France traditionally distinguishes between tabac brun and tabac blond, in other words dark and light tobacco. The classic Gauloises was a short, wide cigarette without a filter. It was filled with dark tobacco and had a strong, highly distinctive aroma.
Tabac brun: slowly dried in the air
Dark tobacco is air-cured. The leaves hang in well-ventilated barns and dry slowly, usually for four to eight weeks. Air-cured tobacco contains little sugar. Its smoke tends to be alkaline and tastes earthy, spicy and intense. Maryland is an air-cured type of tobacco too.
Tabac blond: dried with hot air
Light tobacco such as Virginia is dried with hot air, known as "flue-cured". The heat comes from furnaces outside the barn and is piped into the room without any smoke reaching the leaves. After about a week the tobacco is dry. It keeps more sugar, turns golden yellow and gives a lighter, sweeter smoke.
| Feature | Tabac brun | Tabac blond |
|---|---|---|
| Curing | In the air, in ventilated barns | With hot air from pipes |
| Duration | About four to eight weeks | About one week |
| Sugar in the leaf | Little | More |
| Colour | Dark brown | Golden yellow |
| Taste | Earthy, spicy, intense | Lighter, sweeter, softer in aroma |
Gauloises carries both types of tobacco under one name. The Brunes stand for dark tobacco and the brand's tradition, while the Blondes joined in 1984 with light tobacco. So when you choose between Brunes and Blondes, you pick a type of tobacco first and a strength second.
At Gauloises, the tobacco defines the character. The same goes for Heimat: Original Hell is built on Virginia, Original Dunkel on Burley.
Gauloises cigarettes: every variety in Switzerland
In Switzerland, Gauloises comes in seven variants, each in packs of 20 cigarettes and in cartons of 10 packs (Swiss retail range, as of November 2026). The Blondes carry the French colour names Bleu and Rouges, though people mostly search for them as "Gauloises blue" and "Gauloises red".
| Variety | Line and tobacco | Filter | Pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauloises Blondes Bleu | Blondes, light tobacco | With filter | Box |
| Gauloises Blondes Rouges | Blondes, light tobacco | With filter | Box |
| Gauloises L'une | Light tobacco | With filter | Box |
| Gauloises Maryland Filter | Named after Maryland tobacco | With filter | Soft pack |
| Gauloises Brunes Filter | Brunes, dark tobacco | With filter | Soft pack |
| Gauloises Brunes without filter | Brunes, dark tobacco | Without filter | Soft pack |
| Disque Bleu Filter | Gauloises line since 1954 | With filter | Soft pack |
Gauloises Blondes Bleu (blue)
Retailers describe the Blondes Bleu as the brand's classic Blonde, with a strong, spicy taste. Going by the listed values, it is the strongest of the Blondes and level on nicotine with the Brunes without filter.
Gauloises Blondes Rouges (red)
The Blondes Rouges, often simply called "red Gauloises", are seen as the flagship of the light line. The taste is fine and milder, with a slight bitterness. Their listed values sit well below those of the Blondes Bleu.
Gauloises L'une
Measured by the listed values for nicotine and tar, L'une is the lightest variant in the Swiss range. It belongs to the light side of the brand and comes in a box.
Gauloises Maryland Filter
The name refers to Maryland, an air-cured type of tobacco, and to one of the two original Gauloises versions from 1910. In Switzerland you can get the Maryland Filter in a soft pack.
Other varieties, such as Gauloises yellow, are sold abroad and are not part of the current Swiss retail range.
Gauloises Brunes and Disque Bleu
The Brunes are what many people think of as a true Gauloises: dark tobacco with a strong, spicy aroma. In Switzerland they come as Brunes Filter and Brunes without filter. So you can get Gauloises without a filter here too.
The Brunes without filter are regarded as the successor to the classic Caporal, which was discontinued. Like the Caporal they have no filter, but they are less strong.
Disque Bleu: a line since 1954
Disque Bleu launched in 1954, with filter versions following in 1956. In Switzerland you'll find it today as Disque Bleu Filter in a soft pack.
Gitanes: the sister brand
Like Gauloises, Gitanes launched in 1910 and is also known for dark tobacco.
Gauloises blue or red: which are stronger?
Gauloises Blondes Bleu (blue) are stronger than Gauloises Blondes Rouges (red). According to the Swiss retailer k kiosk, a Blondes Bleu yields 0.8 mg of nicotine per cigarette, a Blondes Rouges 0.5 mg. Here are all varieties, sorted by nicotine:
| Variety | Nicotine | Tar | Carbon monoxide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunes without filter | 0.8 mg | 10 mg | 9 mg |
| Blondes Bleu | 0.8 mg | 10 mg | 10 mg |
| Maryland Filter | 0.7 mg | 8 mg | 10 mg |
| Brunes Filter | 0.6 mg | 8 mg | 8 mg |
| Blondes Rouges | 0.5 mg | 6 mg | 8 mg |
| Disque Bleu Filter | 0.5 mg | 6 mg | 5 mg |
| L'une | 0.4 mg | 4 mg | 6 mg |
Values per cigarette. Figures according to retailer k kiosk, as of November 2026. The binding values are printed on your pack.
The colour of the pack is a hint, not a measurement, and it doesn't mean the same thing for every brand. With Marlboro, red is the stronger variety; with Gauloises, it's blue. So always compare the numbers, not the colours.
In Switzerland, fixed maximum values apply to every cigarette:
All Gauloises cigarettes sold in Switzerland fall within these limits. The values are measured in a lab using a smoking machine. How much a person actually takes in depends on how deeply and how often they draw. Our article on the nicotine content of a cigarette explains more.
Gauloises compared with other brands
With the Brunes, Gauloises has a line of its own for dark tobacco. Marlboro, Camel, Lucky Strike and Chesterfield, by contrast, rely on the American Blend.
| Brand | Origin and manufacturer | Tobacco style |
|---|---|---|
| Gauloises | French brand, today Imperial Brands | Brunes with dark tobacco, Blondes with light tobacco |
| Gitanes | French sister brand of Gauloises | Known for dark tobacco |
| Marlboro | Philip Morris International | American Blend |
| Camel | Japan Tobacco International | American Blend |
| Lucky Strike | British American Tobacco | American Blend |
| Chesterfield | Philip Morris International | American Blend |
We cover more brands in their own guides, such as American Spirit and Parisienne.
Gauloises in Switzerland: rules and buying
Since 1 October 2024, Switzerland's Tobacco Products Act has been in force. For Gauloises and all other cigarettes, this means:
- Sales only to people aged 18 and over, throughout Switzerland.
- Picture warnings on every pack.
- Restrictions on advertising and sponsorship.
- A maximum of 10 mg tar, 1 mg nicotine and 10 mg carbon monoxide per cigarette.
- The same rules for nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes.
You can buy Gauloises cigarettes at kiosks, tobacconists and in general retail. Ordering online works too, with an age check. Find out more in our article on ordering tobacco on invoice.
The alternative: cigarettes made with Swiss tobacco
Gauloises cigarettes show just how much the type of tobacco shapes the taste. At Heimat, too, the taste starts with the leaf, only this leaf grows in Swiss fields. The tobacco comes from eight cantons, is fermented in Payerne and processed without additives.
The journey of a Heimat cigarette
Swiss farmers grow Virginia and Burley in eight cantons, from Aargau to Vaud. GMO-free from the seed onwards.
The leaves are picked by hand and dried in barns until they turn golden or brown.
In Payerne the tobacco matures under controlled heat. Harshness fades and natural aromas develop.
Cut and processed with Swiss mountain spring water. No humectants, no flavourings.
How the current harvest was grown and processed is shown on our page Field-fresh Swiss tobacco 2026.
Typical industrial cigarette
- Tobacco blended from different countries
- Additives such as humectants and flavourings are possible
- Mass-produced in large plants, in Poland for Gauloises
- Origin impossible for customers to trace
Heimat cigarette
- 100 % Swiss-grown tobacco, from eight cantons
- Fermented in Payerne
- No additives, humectants or flavourings
- Traceable to the field
Heimat deliberately does without additives. That doesn't make a cigarette any healthier, but you know the tobacco contains nothing but the leaf from a Swiss field.
Which Heimat variety suits you?
Heimat Original Hell. A high share of Virginia, golden and mild, with a fine natural sweetness from the leaf.
Heimat Original Dunkel. The darker, earthier Heimat variety, with plenty of Burley and nutty notes.
Heimat Original Pfefferminze & Königskerze. Swiss tobacco combined with Swiss organic herbs.
Heimat RYO and MYO. Swiss retailers mainly stock Gauloises as cigarettes. Heimat comes as RYO Hell and Dunkel 30 g, RYO Hell 80 g and MYO Hell and Dunkel 250 g.
All Heimat cigarettes Rolling tobacco MYO tobacco
Heimat also offers nicotine-free herbal cigarettes, with no nicotine at all.
Smoke-free on the go
Heimat Nicotine Pouches
On the train, in the office, on a plane or during sport, smoking usually isn't an option. Heimat pouches contain no tobacco and produce no smoke. You simply tuck the pouch discreetly under your upper lip.
- Swiss Made: developed, produced and tested in Switzerland
- Tobacco-free, with a clearly declared recipe
- Defined strength of 15 mg nicotine per pouch
- Triple lab-tested
Nicotine pouches also contain nicotine and are addictive. As with cigarettes, they may only be sold to people aged 18 and over. At 15 mg per pouch, they are meant for adults who are used to nicotine.
Discover pouchesWhat's inside?FAQ about Gauloises
Which Gauloises are stronger, blue or red?
Gauloises Blondes Bleu (blue) are stronger than Gauloises Blondes Rouges (red). According to retailer k kiosk, a Blondes Bleu yields 0.8 mg of nicotine per cigarette, a Blondes Rouges 0.5 mg. The values on the pack are binding.
Which Gauloises varieties are available in Switzerland?
Swiss retailers stock seven variants: Blondes Bleu, Blondes Rouges, L'une, Maryland Filter, Brunes Filter, Brunes without filter and Disque Bleu Filter. Other varieties such as Gauloises yellow are not available from Swiss retailers.
What's the difference between Gauloises Blondes and Gauloises Brunes?
The Blondes contain light tobacco, which is dried with hot air and therefore keeps more sugar. The Brunes contain dark tobacco, which dries slowly in the air and tastes earthier and spicier. The Blondes have been around since 1984.
Can you get Gauloises without a filter in Switzerland?
Yes. In Switzerland you can get Gauloises Brunes without filter in a soft pack. They are the successor to the classic Caporal, which also had no filter but was stronger.
What is Disque Bleu?
Disque Bleu is a Gauloises line that launched in 1954. In Switzerland it comes as Disque Bleu Filter in a soft pack.
Who owns Gauloises and where are the cigarettes made?
Gauloises belongs to Imperial Brands, which took over the manufacturer Altadis in 2008. In Switzerland, Imperial Brands distributes the brand directly. Today the cigarettes are made in Poland.
How do you pronounce Gauloises?
Gauloises is pronounced roughly "goloas", with a soft s at the end. The word is French and means "the Gallic ones".
Health warning: Smoking kills. Tobacco and nicotine pouches contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. No Heimat product is a safe choice, not even additive-free tobacco or nicotine pouches. All products for adults aged 18 and over only. Gauloises, Disque Bleu, Gitanes, Marlboro, Camel, Lucky Strike, Chesterfield and other brands mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is for information only and is not affiliated with these manufacturers. More in our risk information.