Are Swiss properties "freehold"?

Yes. Even apartments are ‘freehold’. You will have a share of the whole building and the communal parts and an exclusive right to use your own apartment.

 All the apartment owners are bound together in a kind of residents association (known as a “co-propriety”), which sets out the rules of the house (e.g. the laundry room to be used only between certain hours). The owners have complete control over the building and at the annual meeting they will appoint an Administrator who will deal with the day to day running of the property. The annual meeting will set the budget for the forthcoming year, vote on suggestions made by the administrator and apartment owners, and review any problems.

Similar arrangements are often made for a community of several chalets which will often share costs for snow clearance and gardening.