British pop star James Blunt has taken to life in Switzerland so much that he wants to become a Swiss citizen.

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At least that’s what the 38-year-old singer-songwriter told the Blick newspaper over the weekend as he opened a new restaurant in Verbier, called La Vache (French for “The Cow”).



“As soon as the authorities will let me, because I don’t know if I’ve been here a sufficiently long time, I would like to become Swiss,” he told the newspaper.

“Verbier is my home.”

Blunt said opening the restaurant, located at 2,730 metres with panoramic views, was the fulfillment of a dream.

“I love skiing and good food,” he said, while acknowledging “I am a horrible cook”. 

Blunt has owned a chalet in Verbier since February 2007 and is a long-time aficionado of the Valais ski resort’s slopes.

A former British Army officer, he captained the Household Cavalry alpine ski team in Verbier and eventually became a champion of the entire Royal Armoured Corps, according to press reports from the UK.

Blunt has spoken of taking a break from his musical career, propelled in 2005 when the multimillion album seller, Back to Bedlam, first brought him to fame.

His three albums have sold 18 million copies.

But Blick reports that he is writing new songs in his Alpine chalet and is set to release a new CD.

Meanwhile, Blunt revealed his unusual plans for New Year’s Eve: “I want to run around the resort disguised as a cow.”