There are no known instances of James Bond skiing in any Olympic or World Cup downhill races in any of the books or films about 007, but based on how we’ve seen him ski in print and on camera, you’d think he’d have more than a few gold medals and FIS championship crystal globes in his trophy case if he was so inclined.
If you’re not familiar with any of 007’s alpine exploits on the big screen, do yourself a favor and check out how nimble and fast he is on skis in motion pictures like On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the 1969 Bond film starring George Lazenby. In this film, Bond is chased down the uber steep slopes of the Schilthorn peak in Mürren, Switzerland at night and very successfully evades a gaggle of his arch enemy Ersnst Stavro Blofeld’s gun-toting bad guys.
In 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, in perhaps his most iconic stunt on skis (thanks to stuntman Rick Sylvester) 007 flies off a massive cliff during another spine-tingling on-snow chase, and pulls the ripcord in his backpack which unfurls a giant Union Jack emblazoned parachute! Four years later Bond is back on the slopes (thanks to stuntman John Eaves) ripping down an icy, Italian bobsled track dodging bullets at 70 mph in 1981’s For Your Eyes Only. In 1985 Bond even dabbles with the “dark side”, when he turns a snowmobile chassis into a makeshift snowboard in A View To A Kill, before returning to escaping baddies in the Caucasus on two planks in The World Is Not Enough in 1999.
This of course brings us to the reason behind the story you’re reading right now – 007’s last foray into the mountains on film – 2015’s SPECTRE which was filmed in stunning Sölden, high up on a glacier in the Austrian Alps. In this film, starring Daniel Craig, 007 is again going downhill at high speed, but this time, instead of skis, he’s ripping down the slopes on an airplane!
One of the most amazing 007 chase scenes ever filmed, this fantastic two-minute SUV/plane high-altitude chase starts off on the Ötztal Glacier Road near the futuristic, cube-like, glass-panelled ice Q building (which serves as the Hoffler Klinik in the film) 10,000 feet above sea level on the famed Gaislachkogl peak.
The next phase of the chase, the downhill glacier road section where the vehicles and plane enter the forest, was also filmed near Sölden, in nearby Kaunertal. Finally, the end of the scene, where 007’s plane crashes through a barn, was actually shot in a small Austrian alpine village called Obertilliach about 75 miles east of Sölden.
As a devout 007 ski nerd, I have visited almost all of these wonderful ski towns and film locations (albeit I’ve still not been to Canada’s Baffin Island where Rick Sylvester’s actual parachute stunt took place) over the last few decades as I’ve criss-crossed my way through the European Alps covering the World Cup ski tour.
Sölden, I have to say, is one of my favorites because there is so much to do and see if you’re a 007 aficionado. If you’re a James Bond junkie too who’s fascinated by his high alpine exploits in snow country, keep reading, as I’m about to unveil the Top 10 James Bond related things to do and see in Sölden, Austria.
1. Dine at ice Q Restaurant
Perched high above the clouds at 10,000 feet above sea level, this fabulous, glass ice cube-like fine dining restaurant served as the exterior and setting of the fictional Hoffler Klinik where 007 meets Dr. Madeleine Swann (played by Léa Seydoux) for the first time before SPECTRE’s frenetic, fast-paced SUV/plane chase scene unfolds.
This wonderful restaurant is divided into a gourmet dining room and a separate café and lounge, all with unbelievable panoramic windows overlooking the mountains. This incredible restaurant with a view also happens to be Austria’s highest-located toque-rated gourmet dining establishment (2 toques) thanks to a vast, creative menu and an absolutely stellar wine list. Reservations are always recommended, but they also accept walk-ins.
For more information about ice Q, go to: https://www.iceq.at/en/
2. Visit The 007 ELEMENTS Cinematic Installation
Built deep into the rock of Sölden’s Gaislachkogel peak, right next to the
ice Q restaurant, 007 ELEMENTS is a truly unique, interactive, cinematic installation that celebrates the James Bond universe. One of the important players behind this “high-tech” staging of the James Bond cosmos is none other than 007 art director Neal Callow, who was responsible for the futuristic concept of the 1,300-square-meter space spread out through 9 rooms over two floors.
Visitors entering the installation walk through a series of hyper-cool galleries featuring 007 videos, sound elements, interactive stations, and a host of original Bond gadgets and paraphernalia that will get your heart pumping and imagination going as you do a deep sensory dive into British secret agent culture.
The nine rooms include: Barrel of the Gun – the atmospheric entrance with well-known title sequences you can watch. Plaza – imposing architectural perspectives and a unique mountain panorama diorama. Lobby – showcasing an exclusive film that takes you through the history of numerous 007 flicks. Lair – 007 characters & dialogue presented in a very unique and innovative fashion. Briefing Room – Naomi Harris, aka Moneypenny in the most recent Bond films, narrates the exciting interplay of filming locations and set buildings. Tech Lab – gives insights into the latest technologies and digital creativity in James Bond productions. Action Hall – an installation focusing on special effects, stunt scenes, and the original airplane from SPECTRE dangling in mid-air. Screening Room – featuring Austrian action scenes from SPECTRE. Legacy Hall – an interactive retrospective of the 007 archives with more props to look at up close. This room also has a store with exclusive 007 ELEMENTS items available for purchase.
For more information about 007 ELEMENTS, go to: https://www.soelden.com/en/activities/excursion-destinations/007-elements
3. Take A 007 ELEMENTS-Themed Helicopter Tour Above Sölden
For a truly breathtaking view of some of the most important scenes in SPECTRE, you can book a helicopter ride on a very sharp-looking 007 ELEMENTS logoed silver Airbus H125 during winter or summer, flown out of nearby Hochgurgl by the good folks at Heli-Tirol.
Not only will you get a jaw-dropping, bird’s-eye view of some of the SPECTRE outdoor filming locations, you’ll also fly directly above the Wildspitze, Austria’s second-highest peak at an elevation of 12,369 feet above sea level. Pro tip: call out “shotgun” as you approach the chopper, and hopefully your fellow riders will let you take the front seat next to the pilot. I was lucky enough to have a front-row view for the 30-minute sunset ride over Sölden and the surrounding Ötztal Alps after an amazing day of skiing, and it was THE MOST unforgettable “après-ski” experience (sans alcohol) I’ve ever had!
For more information on booking a 007 ELEMENTS-themed Helicopter Tour, contact David Holzknecht at +43 664 888 11 222 or email at fly@heli-tirol.at.
4. Get Up Close & Personal With The Actual Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander Stunt Airplane Used During The Mountaintop Chase Sequence in SPECTRE
Definitely one of the most remarkable parts of the entire 007 ELEMENTS cinematic installation experience is seeing the actual front portion of the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander stunt plane suspended in dramatic fashion in the aforementioned Action Hall room.
Getting up close to the actual plane is impressive, but the meticulous fashion in which it’s hung, with all of its debris suspended in the air frozen in time, is even more striking. Also really cool, and found adjacent to the airplane, are detailed behind-the-scenes models and dioramas showing how the sequence was filmed. Let’s just say it was a true feat of cinematic creativity and ingenuity!
5. Go On A SPECTRE Stunt SUV Hunt
Some of the actual, crashed-out Range Rover and Land Rover stunt vehicles used in the big alpine chase scene in SPECTRE can be found on display in Sölden. The first one you’ll see is at the entrance of the Gaislachkogelbahn I, the 8-person gondola that takes you up to the middle station where you switch over to the Gaislachkogelbahn II 3S cable car. This vehicle was the one used by the villain Mr. Hinx (played by Dave Bautista) in the sequence that begins in Sölden and continues through the Ötztal valley.
There is a second vehicle not too far away, at a higher altitude. No other hints on this one; you’ll have to go to Sölden yourself to figure out where it’s located!
6. Check Out 007 Ski Fashion Through The Ages
Some of the most iconic ski suits worn by James Bond actors and some of villains in the franchise are on display at the 007 ELEMENTS installation. Among them are a blue Bogner ski jacket worn by George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969, and a fabulous white Bogner ski parka and pants worn by Roger Moore in 1985’s A View To A Kill.
7. Ride The Cable Car Used in SPECTRE
Sölden’s Gaislachkogel I and II (at the middle station) will whisk you up to the ice Q restaurant and the 007 ELEMENTS cinematic installation in about 20 minutes. The coolest part of the ride, however, is when you get to the cavernous middle station for a first-hand look at one of the film’s most important and impressive locations – the place where Q (007’s beloved gadget guru) is being chased by Bond’s enemies.
When you get up to the middle station, make sure to wait for one of the two gold colored 007 ELEMENTS logoed cable cars as they play James Bond themes on the way up! Trust me when I say that sharp, twangy, chromatic surf-guitar riff arranged by John Barry and performed by Vic Flick on the original 1962 recording for Dr. No will be playing in your head for days!
8. Find Scaramunga’s Golden Gun
Of the three prop golden guns actually handled by Christopher Lee, who played Bond villain Francisco Scaramunga in 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun, only the whereabouts of one, or possibly two of them, are known. One of the prop guns was stolen from Elstree Studios in England in 2008. The other gun(s) are believed to be safely stored at the Eon Productions archive, also somewhere in England.
The film prop golden gun itself is a gadget in the truest Bondian sense. Unlike the original golden gun in Ian Fleming’s 1965 book version of the story, which was a simpler, gold-plated .45-caliber single-action Army revolver, the one in the film is a custom-built, single-shot pistol assembled from four seemingly innocuous golden objects: a fountain pen, a cigarette lighter, a cigarette case and a cufflink, all in 24-carat gold.
A fabulous, fully assembled replica version of Scaramuga’s golden gun – which is probably THE most infamous weapon ever wielded on screen by a Bond villain is on display somewhere in Sölden near a few other 007 film guns. It’s now your mission to find it when you make your way to Sölden!
9. Shop Like A Bond Villain
Every time my wife asks me why I’m so partial to the octopus keychain my car keys are attached to, I tell her it’s a trinket I picked up in Osaka, Japan, where octopuses are popular.
The truth is (I hope she’s not reading this), I’m a big fan of 007’s worst enemies, the group of fictional baddies known as SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion). Heck, I even dressed up as SPECTRE boss Ernst Stavro Blofeld in 2015 in Kitzbühel, Austria, during a 007-themed casino night while on assignment for SNOW Magazine (I was writing about Bond author Ian Fleming’s connections to Kitz… Click here to read that story.
So let’s just say, if you also have a penchant for SPECTRE logoed merch, the gift shop at 007 ELEMENTS is a great place to shop. On my last visit, I scored a SPECTRE t-shirt, black SPECTRE henchman beanie, and a stylish pewter “Hoffler Klinik” flask.
10. Lodge Like Daniel Craig at The Bergland Hotel
During the making of SPECTRE, some of the film crew stayed at the luxurious 5-star Bergland Hotel, among them Daniel Craig, who was playing James Bond.
Craig chose the hotel’s magnificent “Summit Suite,” a three-bedroom/three bathroom living space decked out with an open fireplace, a lounge area, a large dining area, a kitchenette, and a balcony with spectacular views of the
Ötztal mountain range as his home away from home during filming. Now you can do that too!
For more information on how to book this luxury suite, click here.
