Embark on the stunning trail of James Bond in Switzerland.
By Julian Mattocks
Photographs Courtesy Julian Mattocks
Of all the James Bond filming locations over the years, few can be as spellbinding and iconic as Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s mountaintop lair known as the Piz Gloria from the 1969 blockbuster On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ In George Lazenby’s sole performance as 007, it was here amongst Switzerland’s majestic Bernese and Valais Alps that Bond posed undercover as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray to infiltrate his arch-nemesis’ allergy research clinic. A series of four consecutive cable cars from the village of Stechelberg down in the Lauterbrunnen valley brings visitors today to the summit of the 9,744-foot Schilthorn. High above the village of Mürren, the aerial cableway starts its heady ascent from the third station at Birg towards the unmistakable revolving restaurant used as the hide-out of Blofeld, who was played by Telly Savalas in the movie. I realize that I’ve already made it further than Campbell, the doomed MI6 agent forced to hike to the top after being turned away by Blofeld’s imposing henchman, Grunther.
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