Balloon at Chateau D'oex

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If you are looking for a special place to visit in Europe in January we recommend visiting the annual balloon festival in Château-d'Oex, Switzerland. Château-d'Oex is the hot air balloon centre of Switzerland. It is part of a valley which is ideal for hot air ballooning thanks to the great microclimate. Each year in January, the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Château-d'Oex attracts pilots from all over the world.

Château-d'Oex is a pretty small town, where you can visit most main tourist spots on foot. The town in January will be covered with snow and it is breathtaking (click here for more climate details). Not only can you enjoy the hot air balloons in this town, but also can you participate in different kinds of activities.

You must have seen this once in your life. A balloon flight can be combined with a week of skiing. Lake Geneva and the Gstaad ski slopes are just a stone's throw away.

Where to stay?

If you are looking for a great place to stay we recommend Forêt C13. Everything at this property was just perfect! Extremely clean and comfortable. The apartment had literally everything we could have wanted.  They also offered excellent information prior to arrival.  So lucky to have been able to stay there. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to experience Switzerland at its finest. The hotel gets an average rating of 9.3 and you can book it here on booking.com.