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Roadtrip Switzerland | Valle Verzasca and the James Bond Bungee Dam

I still got up this morning with a big, wide smile on my face. Two days earlier I was allowed a bucket list activity that had made a big impression on me. I made a beautiful helicopter flight in Lauterbrunnen and we even landed on a glacier! After a day of relaxing at Lac Léman, the beautiful lake near Lausanne, it was time to leave for the next destination. Today we first had to visit the famous Verzasca dam (that of the bungee jump opening scene from James Bond – Goldeneye, you know…). According to my plan I had to store a little further there in the drive to the picturesque village of Lavertezzo. The road there meanders wonderfully along the river. I also saw some beautiful photo locations on Google Maps that I wanted to see with my own eyes. You can read all about it in this article.

Also read: Roadtrip Switzerland | Practical car and camper tips from practice
Also read: Roadtrip Switzerland | Things to Do in Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken
Also read: Roadtrip Switzerland | Bucket List !!! Helicopter flight Lauterbrunnen

The camper roadtrip through Switzerland

I set out this morning from Lac Léman, where I had parked my motorhome just a stone's throw from the park and the lake. It was a nice wild camping spot that I had found with Park4Night† Before leaving I decided to stretch my legs and take a walk through the Louis Bourget Park and along the lake. This turned out to be a good choice as it was really beautiful this morning.

Walking in the Louis Bourget Park | Roadtrip Switzerland
Walking in the Louis Bourget Park | Roadtrip Switzerland
Lac Leman | Roadtrip Switzerland
Lac Leman | Roadtrip Switzerland

De roadtrip determine route

After the walk it was time to roadtrip by persecuting Switzerland. I had filled the 4×4 camper with diesel again and I looked on Google Maps to determine the route. If you look at the map you would initially think that driving from Lausanne to Locarno takes about an hour or two, but nothing could be further from the truth. The winding roads between the mountains and the large differences in height make driving from A to B here already challenging by definition and everything just takes a lot longer.

In addition, the optimal route that Google had determined for me, also via tunnels through the mountains, a piece of Italy would take. Normally this would be a good option, but due to all the corona restrictions this was not an option because I needed all kinds of paperwork again and again a PCR test should do.

As you can see the other two route options were to drive via Lucerne. This is 130 kilometers to go but almost as smooth, it is about a 4 hour drive. This is because there are few highways in the south of Switzerland due to the high mountains. Logically.

But hey, driving through Switzerland is really no punishment at all! I can't wait to see the beautiful nature and the high mountains along the way, as you can see in the short video below.

After almost two hours of driving I decide to take a break at the Sempachersee near Lucerne. I send the drone up into the air to take a nice picture of the environment. This lake is quite deep, which makes the water appear dark, but you can see at the edges that the water is also very clear here.

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Sempachersee, Roadtrip Switzerland
Sempachersee, Roadtrip Switzerland

After sitting in the sun for a while, I drive on again. About two hours later, the Verzasca dam comes into view.

About the Verzasca dam

With a bit of luck you can park your car or camper directly at the dam. There are about 20 spots and I was lucky it wasn't that crowded that day. The sun was still shining so the view from the dam was beautiful. Of course I can't help but look down. People with a fear of heights probably get the creeps from this.

You look 220 meters down from the middle of the Verzasca dam
You look 220 meters down from the middle of the Verzasca dam

The dam is commonly known as the Verzasca Dam or the Locarno Dam. It is an arch dam on the Verzasca River in the Val Verzasca of Ticino and you can go bungee jumping here. It has everything to do with the James Bond movie: GoldenEye.

Verzasca Dam, Switzerland
Photo by: Martin Abegglen

James Bond - GoldenEye - 1995

The Verzasca Dam has become extremely popular after 007 took a leap in the film Golden Eye in 1995. In the opening scene of the James Bond film GoldenEye from 1995, Bond jumped off the dam. The stunt was performed by British stuntman Wayne Michaels. The jump was voted the best movie stunt of all time in a Sky Movies poll in 2002. The dam is 220 meters high which makes the jump really insane. Within 'just' 7,5 seconds you have reached the end point of your jump. Below you can watch the opening scene from the film and immediately below that is a video of the jump that you can do yourself.

Bungee Jumping from the Verzasca Dam

I had this bucket list activity on my list for a long time, so it was the main reason I drove here. I had checked the opening times on the website in advance and I was well on time, but unfortunately: the bungee jump was closed due to covid-19 and this was not mentioned anywhere on the website. To compress!!! It would be my 3rd and highest bungee jump to date and I really wanted to throw myself in at the deep end but unfortunately it wasn't to be. I sent the operators another email asking when they would reopen, which was two weeks later (1 May 2021). Unfortunately I wouldn't be in Switzerland by then.

They are now open again and you can book this bungee jump yourself. However, they now work exclusively or by appointment and you have to book your jump in advance, because the office on the dam is suspended.

Would you like to book the bungee jump yourself? Then use the buttons below to see the location on Google Maps and open the website for booking.

I decided to accept my loss and continue on my way to fairytale Lavertezzo via Valle Verzasca. From the dam further into the mountains along the river the road meanders up a lot and some parts were very narrow. The narrow road and the hairpin bends made driving here quite a challenge. My camper is about 6 meters long and two meters 10 wide and it all just went well. If you have a large bus camper or camper that is longer than 8 meters, I do not recommend driving further here.

Verzasca Valley

With Valle they simply mean the valley of Verzasca. Ponta Verzasca is the characteristic village that attracts many tourists. During my ride further up, I decide to stop a few times along the road to view the river. It is mid-April with a low sun, but the color of the water is already beautiful. I decide to climb on this big rock where the water roars down around it. Here I enjoy the view as I calmly eat my peanut butter sandwich.

It was a wonderful moment where I realized again that traveling alone can also be very nice.

My lunch spot today in Valle Verzasca
My lunch spot today in Valle Verzasca
The water roars past me as I enjoy my lunch
The water roars past me as I enjoy my lunch

Ponta Verzasca

After this delicious lunch I drive further up to Ponta Verzasca. There is plenty of parking in the village so I put my camper down and continue on foot to discover the village and the river.

The beautiful colors of the river in Valle Verzasca
The beautiful colors of the river in Valle Verzasca

What strikes me immediately is that some houses are located on the other side of the river. There is no way there and to my surprise the residents use a kind of cable car with a wooden platform to get from one side to the other.

Cable car elevator of the residents across the street | Ponta Verzasca
Cable car elevator of the residents across the street | Ponta Verzasca

The village itself is not that much. There is a church, there are two restaurants and there are about 20 houses. But that's what makes it so beautiful! It is almost all nature and the happy residents here visibly enjoy it every day. They build their houses so close to the river for a reason.

The local church and restaurant
The local church and restaurant
The residents build their houses as close to the river as possible
The residents build their houses as close to the river as possible

Then there is the stone walkway that crosses the Verzasca River. The bridge is called the Ponte dei Salti and is over 400 years old. The bridge is only 1,5 meters wide and the elevation on the sides is only about 40 centimeters. So when you have oncoming traffic on the bridge, you have to be very careful. If you accidentally bump each other, you can just end up at the bottom of the water. Caution is therefore required, especially with children.

The bridge: Ponte dei Salti
The bridge: Ponte dei Salti

The crystal clear water and the emerald green color make every photo incredibly beautiful. The sun has since disappeared and I can't imagine how beautiful it would be here when the sun shines well.

A place to spend the night with the camper

After walking around a bit, I decide to look for a place to spend the night. I drove further into the valley because I knew there was a camper parking place where you can spend the night for about 10 euros.

I park the camper and treat myself to a delicious beer. In the meantime I fill the water tank of the camper and shortly afterwards I decide to close the doors early. After all, it is still April and when evening falls, it quickly freezes.

Tip: This motorhome is not on Google Maps, I found it through Park4Night. There is a tap for drinking water, a toilet and waste bins are available. You simply pay via a machine. It is super basic, but because you are quite far from civilization, this is a great place to spend the night. You can find the exact Google Maps location here† Just drive there and you'll see for yourself.

The next morning is Locarno on the program, the Italian-tinted town in Switzerland on Lake Locarno. You can read all about it in the next blog!

Also read: Roadtrip Switzerland | Practical car and camper tips from practice
Also read: Roadtrip Switzerland | Things to Do in Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken
Also read: Roadtrip Switzerland | Bucket List !!! Helicopter flight Lauterbrunnen

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Chris

Owner of Wereldreizigers.nl † Discover the world!
- Full-time blogging world traveler.
- Writes about travel, photography, sustainability and gadgets.
- Likes to discover extreme and unknown places.

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