500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [21]
Viaduc de la Souleuvre, France: In picturesque Normandy, along the Channel coastline, this area was the landing site for the liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany during World War II. Although the original Souleuvre railway bridge, which was built between 1889 and 1893 by Gustave Eiffel, fell into disrepair and was ultimately removed in 1970, the 61m (200-ft.) stone columns that supported it still stand tall today. Around 1990, a suspension footbridge was constructed, providing access to a jump deck off the highest pillar and an official bungee operation opened for business. The site is open on the weekends from March through November, and every day from mid-June through mid-September. www.ajhackett.fr/va/bungy.htm.
Pacific Northwest Bridge, Washington State, U.S.A.: Just south of Mount St. Helen’s in Washington state—about 21⁄2 hours from Seattle and 1 hour from Portland—this private bridge in a forested canyon over a beautiful river offers the highest bungee jump in the United States (equivalent to about 20 stories). It’s also the safest and most respected; Bungee Masters has been an industry leader since 1988, and its stunts have been featured on MTV’s The Real World, Road Rules Challenge, and CBS’s Amazing Race, among numerous other shows. Jumps from the bridge are offered all year on the weekends, and at other times by reservation. www.bungee.com.
Double Six Club, Bali: On the coast of Bali, Kuta beach is the only place in the world where you can party and bungee jump at the same time. The energy level really revs up when the sun goes down. Just off the white sands of the Double Six club, you can hop on an elevator and ride to the top of a 45m (150-ft.) tower, built by A.J. Hackett. As the music blasts and you gaze out into the darkness, you can dive toward a swimming pool, even dunking into it if you want to, before the rubber bands snap you back up. Night owls rejoice. www.ajhackett.com/bali.
SkyWalk ( 0800/759-925;www.skywalk.co.nz).
When to Go: Nov–Apr.
Auckland.
$$$ Aachen House, 39 Market Rd. ( 0800/222-436;www.aachenhouse.co.nz). $$ Duxton Hotel, 100 Greys Ave. ( 0800/655-555;www.duxton.com).
48
Mont Blanc by Cable Car
Hanging Out over the Alps
Chamonix, France
Sure, you could hike up or ski down the French Alps—both adrenaline rushes in their own rights. (In fact, if you suffer from severe acrophobia, you really should keep your feet on land with one of those two options.) But if vertigo doesn’t typically bother you, hop on the world’s highest cable car for the ride of your life. As it ascends 3,842m (12,604 ft.) up to the Aiguille (“needle”) du Midi, and then into Italy, you have the most astounding panoramic views of Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s tallest peak, at 4,810m (15,780 ft.). At several points during this exhilarating full-day journey, your cable car is suspended 500m (1,640 ft.) above the ground.
The skyward route begins in the celebrated town of Chamonix, where skiing was allegedly invented and the world’s first Winter Olympic Games took place in 1924. Not far from the meeting point of France, Italy, and Switzerland, this alpine valley framed by rows of towering snow-covered peaks is a near utopia for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.
The cable car’s steep ascent immediately displays the region’s spectacular views. But this first part of your trip, a 9-minute run to the Plan des Aiguilles at 2,300m (7,546 ft.), is relatively relaxing compared to what comes next. During the ride’s second segment, as you soar to the Aiguille du Midi station in about 10 minutes—your pulse will undoubtedly quicken and your stomach might drop as you climb such great altitudes so quickly. You traverse the Les Pelerins glacier and travel up the north face.
When you reach the top, you’re on Piton Nord, where you find a cafeteria and one of the world’s highest restaurants called “3842” (which is, of course, the altitude of the Aiguille du Midi in meters). Before or after getting