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INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FESTIVAL CHÂTEAU D'OEX
Hot Air Balloon Flights in the Swiss Alps

The first International Balloon Festival in Chateau D’Oex, Switzerland was held in February of 1979 and for 32 years since, the brightly colored and odd shaped bags of hot air have risen over the white snow-capped peaks of the Alps every winter (though in recent years a little lighter on the snow). For 2010 the balloon extravaganza is being held the last week of January 23rd to 31st. Over 80 balloons and 10 special forms of curious shapes, animals to mountain huts, from 20 different countries will participate. Daily balloon flights for the week long festival are accompanied by air shows of aerobatic planes, parachuting and demonstrations of flying wing suits and gliders. Wednesday is children's day with special activities for kids, costume contests and tethered balloon flights. Friday brings the nighttime spectacular of the "Night Glow" Sound and Light Show, probably the most popular event of the festival with balloon illuminations, dance music performance, night paragliders and fireworks. The Feast Village is open with craft stalls and restaurants and “Alpine Wave” Disco Dancing until 4am and more balloons through the last weekend.

The village of Chateau D’Oex in the Canton Vaud first found its place as a winter holiday resort in 1904 when discovered by British tourists taking the new “MOB” rail line from Montreux on the shore of Lake Geneva to Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland. Chateau D’Oex lies between Gruyeres and Gstaad along the Golden Pass rail route (see Golden Pass Route Scenic Train). The microclimate of the Alps plateau of the Pays d'Enhaut is especially well suited to ballooning, protected from winds by the surrounding peaks.

If you can’t make the festival in January, the Espace Balloon Museum “Space Ball” and Center for Ballooning at Chateau D’Oex is open year round with exhibits of hot air ballooning history and technology including the capsule of the Breitling Orbiter, from the test of the first around the world balloon flight. Hot Air Balloon rides are offered every day, weather permitting, rising for at least an hour with beautiful mountain views from Mont Blanc to the Eiger and the Matterhorn. Some balloon rides at the festival are offered for free, the rest of the year they cost about 380 Swiss Francs for an adult, half price for children.

By train, get to Chateau D’Oex from Geneva or Milan via Swiss Rail to Montreux then the Golden Pass line, or from Zurich or Lucerne via Interlaken and Zweisimmen, through beautiful mountain scenery. By car from the north via Highway N12 to Bulle to Gstaad on the Route Cantonale or from the south N6 Motorway to Aigle (see Chateau Aigle Wine Museum) via Col des Mosses. From Bern or Thun via Spiez and Zweisimmen. © Bargain Travel Europe

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Balloon Chateaux D’Oex

These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission. Photos courtesy Switzerland-Lake Geneva Tourism.

SEE ALSO:

WINTER RESORTS OF LAKE GENEVA REGION

CRUISING LAKE GENEVA IN GRAND STYLE

GRINDELWALD - SWISS WORLD SNOW FESTIVAL

INTERLAKEN PARAGLIDING

SWITZERLAND BY RAIL PASS

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