ountainNews

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Ski With An Eagle In Morzine

Ever dreamed of skiing with an eagle? Head to Pointe de Nyon in Morzine and you can do just that. Here, at an altitude ofl,S00m, at the Pointe de Nyon restaurant, Jacques-Olivier Travers has founded Les Aigles du Leman -a full aviary of birds of prey, from the gigantic Andean condor to the bald eagle, to raise awareness of conservation while offering visitors unique encounters with these remarkable birds. One of which is the chance to ski with Fletcher, a white-tailed eagle.

S+b editor Nicola was there last month. "Sitting on the Raverettes chairlift next to Fletcher, who was sat perched on Jacques-Olivier's arm, was wonderfully surreal. He was so excited to fly, having not flown for two days, and kept attempting to do so (Jacques-Olivier had good hold of him with a harness)."

At the top, Jacques-Olivier let Fletcher go and off he soared above the piste, Jacques-Olivier, Nicola and her family chasing behind on skis. "Every 30 seconds or so, Fletcher would swoop back to his owner for a treat, flying so close to us that at one point his wing brushed my hat," says Nicola. "With a wingspan of2.lm, it was an incredible sight to see him fly so close."

"I wanted to prove that a bird born in captivity can fly like a wild one, ifwe teach him," explains Jacques-Olivier. "And for that I use skis. Because these eagles are so fast, I can't follow Fletcher on foot. Skiing is wonderful because we travel at the same speed ... well, he's a little bit faster than me!" Fletcher -who is 14 years old and has been with Jacques-Olivier since he rescued him 10 years ago from a zoo in Germany -is a figurehead for rewilding its breed in the area. Last summer, Jacques-Olivier and his team released four white-tailed eagles that had been bred in captivity into the wild. With those four still going strong, the team plan to release 10 more this year, with the aim to release 80 by 2030.

The experience costs €75pp; there are also free daily shows at Pointe de Nyon restaurant. lesaiglesduleman.com;morzine-avoriaz.com

Crazy Times In Anzere

The clue is in the name: the Festival de Dingue -or rather, the Crazy Festival -takes place in Anzere on 18 March and promises to have your head spinning. The festival centres around the extreme sport of base jumping, where spectators have the chance to witness Switzerland's most adrenalinehungry daredevils leap out of a helicopter and soar above Anzere's 2,000m peaks wearing only a wing suit. There are also paragliding displays, live music and film viewings -it's hands down one of the most exciting festivals in the Valais this winter. anzere.ch

NEW TRAMWAY IN SAINT-GERVAIS

Head to Saint-Gervais this winter and you'll get to ride the newly renovated Mont-Blanc Tramway. After 15years of renovation works costing a cool 100 million euros, the new generation Mont-Blanc Tramway -with its four new trains (named Anne, Marguerite, Jeanne and Marie) -transports skiers, hikers and tourists through forests and alpine prairies, up to the Bellevue Plateau at 1,900m and the Le Prarion ski area. Opened in 1909,this rack and pinion railway is the highest in France. ski-saintgervais.com

FREE MUSIC IN SAINTMARTIN-DE-BELLEVILLE

If you're planning a trip to the picturesque Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in the coming weeks and fancy something a little bit different for apres-ski, then read on.

Throughout the winter, the beautiful 17th century Saint-Martin-de-Belleville church has been stage to a series of evening classical and jazz music concerts. Held at 6pm, the next concerts are scheduled for 13 March, 27 March and 10 April, and best of all are completely free. What better way to unwind after a day's skiing?

st-martin-belleville.com

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