The 46th International Hot Air Balloon Festival - le 46ème Festival International de Ballons - Château-d’Œx, Switzerland - January 24th-31st, 2026

 The Event is already history, time for some pictures 

THANK YOU FOR THIS 46TH EDITION

See you from January 23 to 31, 2027

For almost 50 years, Château-d’Œx has brought the Alpine sky to life with hot air balloons from around the world.

 Balloon flights, sporting competitions and the Children’s Day shape the nine days of the International Hot Air Balloon Festival of Château-d’Oex, a unique event where dreams, spectacle and tradition come together.

A 2026 edition with record-breaking highlights!

With 7 flying days out of 9, unexpectedly favourable weather conditions and more than 45,000 visitors, the 46th edition of the International Hot Air Balloon Festival of Château-d’Oex exceeded all expectations.

A heartfelt thank you to the pilots, volunteers, partners and to the public for making this magical week possible.

Eagles, Bearded vulture and mountain goats (and probably some ibex) where visible too

High-flying numbers

More than 45,000 visitors

382 balloon flights

A total of 530 hours in the air

640 passengers transported

1,057 children experienced their first tethered balloon flight

CREUX-DU-VAN in Winter - home of the Alpine Ibex

 

The Creux du Van is a natural rocky cirque approximately 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) wide and 150 metres (490 ft) deep, on the north side of Le Soliat,in the Val de Travers district in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. A very well known, amphitheatre-shaped natural attraction, it is at the heart of a nature reservation area of 15.5 km2 (6.0 sq mi). It's also on the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments of Switzerland.

During Winter you can see the Alpine Ibex from near, they are not very afraid of us human beings. And you will be punished if you are too near - the horns are strong ....

Geology (by wikipedia)

The rocky arc of Creux du Van was created in three phases:

Phase 1: A glacier covered the area of today's Val de Travers around 140,000 years ago (Würm Ice Age). The stream of meltwater eroded material, making a V-shaped valley.

Phase 2: During subsequent ice ages, other glaciers were created and hollowed out the valley. In warmer periods, the material was eroded by meltwater.

Phase 3: After the removal of rocks from the fault, erosion of a stronger layer from a different age was much slower.

The ground beneath the Creux du Van held permafrost until recently.(permafrost).

I've taken my Bike in the train 'till Travers. Due snow and ice on the small roads in the shadows I had to take the big road for cars at Couvet to reach the summit, the last few kilometers I had to walk. In the afternoon I've taken the road on the other side down, direction Yverdon for the train back.

I will revisit in spring, taking the JuraBike Trail #3 from lake geneva to Basel. The Ibexes have to share the area with Cows in the summer, so it's not so easy to watch them then.

I recommend visits in every weather and season but the sunny weekends - the crowds of people since Corona are crazy. Website