On this french blog, I came across the following phrase:
Avant de décider des grands changements de société ou de décider de nouvelles lois nos voisins helvètes organisent des référendums.
The word Helvète is defined in “Le Petit Robert de la langue française” as:
De l’Helvétie. La Suisse.
In fact, the English word Helvetia is in fact the old roman name for Switzerland.
Hence Helvète can quite simply be exchanged for “Suisse”. It is often used in more literary contexts. Heres the translation of the whole phrase
Before proposing large changes to society or new laws, our swiss neighbours organise referendums.
Easy 