In the words of Nelly Furtado: ‘I’m like a bird’ (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
Calling adventure travellers everywhere: if you’re looking for something that will spike your adrenaline — and provide immaculate views at the same time — you’ve come to the right place.
Because a new giant swing has just been installed 6,923 feet above Grand Chamossaire peak in the Swiss Alps, capturing panoramic scenes of one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes.
Known as the BalancAIR swing, the 12-metre-high contraption opened earlier this month, and at any one time, suspends three fearless riders at a 90-degree angle.
Then, the seat is released, soaring above the valley in western Switzerland.
From there, it’s a one-minute free-fall over the surrounding Villars ski resort, with snow-capped peaks, rugged mountains, and alpine scenery as far as the eye can see.
Switzerland just built a giant swing that flings you off a mountain at 2,110m 🇨🇭 The BalancAIR opened in July 2026 at the summit of the Grand Chamossaire above Villars. It seats up to 3, gets winched back to a near-vertical 90°, then dropped, sending you soaring out over the mountainside, facing a panorama over Lake Geneva. You choose your intensity. Easy access: little train + chairlift, or the Roc d’Orsay gondola + a 20-min walk. Open daily to late October. Would you send it? Follow for more wild alpine thrills ⛰️ BalancAIR Villars Switzerland GrandChamossaire GiantSwing Vaud LakeGeneva AlpesVaudoises Adrenaline SwissAlps NewIn2026 Suisse europetravel travel2026 adventuretravel wanderlust bucketlist travelinspo explore mountaintravel
♬ original sound – Alps2Alps – Alps2Alps
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At first, it’s scary even for the most thrill-seeking of travellers.
Alexandra Henchoz, 37, who tested the new swing with her husband and 10-year-old daughter, described a ‘pit in [her] stomach’ as she dangled face down in the air.
But, the anxiety quickly turns to euphoria: ‘Once it is happening, it is just incredible. You feel like a bird flying.’
How much are tickets?
The BalancAIR attraction is a mind-bending experience with a refreshing price tag.
If you want to guarantee a specific time slot, 50% of seats are available to book online for CHF 8.00 (just £7.35) per person.
The remaining half are kept for walk-in arrivals.
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It’s not for the faint-hearted (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
However, if you already have a TVGD (Télécabines Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets) — the transport tickets that cover mountain lifts, scenic cable cars, and alpine trains in Switzerland’s Vaud Alps — access to the swing is included.
Adult TVGD summer day passes cost CHF 36 (£33).
The same goes for the Magic Pass, which offers one-year access across TVGD lifts and associated mountain transport.
The official price is a much steeper CHF 944.00 (£866.63). But, there’s currently a deal on the website for CHF 482.00 (£442.50).
The year pass typically runs from May 1 to April 30.
If you can stomach it, the views are unmatched (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
A bittersweet affair
Extreme travel aside, there’s a more serious concern at play.
While the swing will provide screams of both terror and joy, it was actually introduced in response to climate change.
As snow becomes less reliable, it compromises the area’s main attraction: skiing.
Therefore, resorts across the Alps have no other option but to get creative with their tourist offerings.
Martin Deburaux, head of the Villars-Gryons-Diableret ski area, told AFP: ‘We are really trying to diversify our offering.’
He said the swing ‘provides us with a source of attraction that can function independent of snow conditions.’
The idea is to encourage travellers to visit the Swiss Alps in summer (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Deburaux — who noted environmental changes have forced skiers to seek higher ground for snow — added that climate change is no joke, both in terms of the planet and the local economy.
‘We are looking for substitutes to conserve jobs, the dynamism and the tourist economy built up around our ski lift facilities.’
The swing also hopes to encourage travellers to visit Villars ski resort during shoulder season.
Currently, the resort draws more than 700,000 people during the winter season.
In summer, this falls to just 100,000.
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