A new giant swing has opened 6,923 feet above the Grand Chamossaire peak in the Swiss Alps, offering adrenaline seekers panoramic views and a response to climate change. The 12-metre-high BalancAIR swing seats up to three riders, winches them to a 90-degree angle, and then releases them for a one-minute free-fall over the Villars ski resort.
The BalancAIR Experience
The swing, which opened in July 2026, suspends riders face down above the valley in western Switzerland, with views of snow-capped peaks, rugged mountains, and Lake Geneva. Alexandra Henchoz, 37, who tested the swing with her husband and 10-year-old daughter, described a 'pit in [her] stomach' as she dangled in the air. 'Once it is happening, it is just incredible. You feel like a bird flying,' she said.
Access to the swing is via a little train and chairlift, or the Roc d'Orsay gondola followed by a 20-minute walk. It is open daily until late October.
Pricing and Access
Tickets cost CHF 8.00 (£7.35) per person for a guaranteed time slot, with 50% of seats available to book online and the rest for walk-ins. The swing is included with a TVGD (Télécabines Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets) transport ticket, which costs CHF 36 (£33) for a summer day pass, or a Magic Pass, which is CHF 944.00 (£866.63) but currently on offer for CHF 482.00 (£442.50).
Climate Change Adaptation
The swing was introduced in response to climate change, as less reliable snow threatens the area's main attraction of skiing. 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.'
Deburaux noted that environmental changes have forced skiers to seek higher ground for snow, adding: 'We are looking for substitutes to conserve jobs, the dynamism and the tourist economy built up around our ski lift facilities.' The swing also aims to encourage visits during shoulder season; the resort draws over 700,000 people in winter but only 100,000 in summer.
