Switzerland has a rich history of ballooning, and the sport is still popular with 70 pilots from 15 countries attending last week’s International Festival of Balloons in Château d’Oex. (Julie Hunt/SRF/swissinfo.ch)
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Julie worked as a radio reporter for BBC and independent radio all over the UK before joining swissinfo.ch's predecessor, Swiss Radio International, as a producer. After attending film school, Julie worked as an independent filmmaker before coming to swissinfo.ch in 2001.
The week-long event in the ski resort in canton Vaud is the biggest of its kind in the Alps, and is responsible for about 15% of total annual overnight stays, providing a tourism boost during low season.
The Swiss have long been connected to ballooning. Two Swiss scientists from the same family had a great impact on the pastime. In 1932, Auguste Piccard, a physicist, inventor and explorer, became the first to achieve a manned flight to the stratosphere, reaching 16,201 metres (53,153 ft) and setting the new altitude record.
In 1999, his grandson, Bertrand Piccard, and English balloonist Brian Jones, became the first to fly around the world in a hot air balloon, the Breitling Orbiter 3.
However, it costs about CHF15,000 ($15,015)to become a qualified balloon pilot – a big hurdle for getting into the sport as a young person. swissinfo.ch headed to the skies to find out if there is a future for the sport of ballooning.
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The picturesque Swiss alpine village of Château d’Oex is better known for its annual balloon festival than its skiing, which is currently under threat. swissinfo.ch reports from the mid-altitude resort as it ponders its long-term future as a tourist destination.
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The family of a man from the United States who died in a hot-air balloon accident in Switzerland in summer 2013 has filed a lawsuit in California seeking almost $54 million (CHF48 million) in damages.
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For 30 years, Balloon Week has attracted thousands of curious visitors. This year, weather permitting, 95 balloons from 20 countries will take flight. The event runs until January 27. (Keystone)
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.