Swing

As the chairlift nears the summit of Grand Chamossaire, in Switzerland’s alpine village of Villars, screams mixing fear and exhilaration echo above the drop. Perched atop the mountain at an altitude of 2,110 meters, a towering V-shaped structure supports a giant swing that propels its passengers toward a breathtaking alpine panorama.

“There’s a little knot in the stomach for sure, but once you’re up there it’s incredible: you feel like a bird,” says Alexandra Henchoz, 37, who came to test the ride with her husband and their 10-year-old daughter.

Adapting to Climate Change

Opened at the start of the month, the Grand Chamossaire swing is the latest move by alpine resorts to attract summer visitors and monetize their lifts, as snow reliability becomes more uncertain due to climate change. “We are really looking to diversify our offering,” explains to AFP Martin Deburaux, director of the Villars-Gryon-Diablerets ski area.

This new 12-meter-tall swing, similar to others already installed in Megève or La Clusaz in France, “finally gives us an attraction that can operate irrespective of snow conditions,” he notes.
Mr. Deburaux recalls that the resort saw record footfall over the past two winter seasons, as skiers who typically visited lower-altitude areas turned to higher, better-snowed resorts.

“Nevertheless, we’re facing climate change. We’ve also conducted a study on the snow potential we’ll have in 2050, and we’re simply preparing for less snow or more irregular snowfalls,”

Mountain Resorts Bet on Summer

Today, the resort hosts more than 700,000 visitors in winter, versus only 100,000 in summer. Its goal is to triple summer attendance in the coming years, Martin Deburaux explains, noting that this will come through a multiplication of available activities. He also adds that the swing was deliberately placed in an already busy area in order to preserve the wilder parts of the domain for nature lovers.

Nearby, hikers traverse the green trails, while helmeted and protected mountain bikers sprint down a steep dirt track. The route runs alongside an ephemeral land art mural created on a mountainside by French artist Saype, depicting a child in the act of drawing.

Accessible to anyone with a ski-lift pass, the swing can accommodate up to three people at a time. Each rider sits astride a saddle mounted on a metal frame resembling an Alpine ibex. Securely strapped in, they grip a handlebar. A clever system of cables and pulleys then lifts the riders to a 90-degree angle, leaving them suspended face-down.

When the safety cable is suddenly released, the swing tips into the void. The cries of excitement, mingled with a few curses, accompany the descent, before suddenly giving way to a spectacular view of the valley, with the rocky, lightly snow-dusted summits in the backdrop.

Marc Truffer, 70, recalls feeling both terrified and excited at the prospect of testing the attraction. “Well, it’s scary, as I expected, and then I was speechless, I didn’t even shout,” he tells AFP. “The descent takes your breath away, and afterward the view is magnificent.”