GIN 240 club zip line and lunch Col de La Faucille 5 August 2026
Back in the depths of winter, we were snowshoeing past the zip line departure point at the Col de La Faucille on our way to the Grand Montrond. Someone had the idea that as three of us (Mark 2tts, Mervyn and Richard) were going to have our eightieth birthdays this year, it would be fun, and a bit of a challenge, to leap into the unknown and take the zip down to Mijoux. We thought it would be something that perhaps some of the members of the hiking, biking and golfing groups that we are most involved with might be interested in doing too. Maybe half a dozen of us?! Well, there was a surprising response from members and their families and initially, twenty five brave souls signed up for the zip and lunch afterwards and thirteen more just for the lunch.
We had originally intended to have lunch at the Florimont restaurant, but as they are closed on Wednesday lunchtimes, we decided to eat at La Petite Chaumière which was just over 100 metres away from the zip. This proved to be fortuitous as such a large group of jumpers could not be accommodated in the morning slots, so we had to split the take-offs pre- and post-prandial. The restaurant needed menu choices so, after a certain amount of badgering, completed lists of entreés, mains and desserts were provided to them. Unfortunately, there were subsequently a few cancellations due to various health and other issues, so we finished up with 19 zippers and a total of 31 lunchers.
Despite earlier gloomy weather forecasts, on the day the sun was shining and the whole Col area was buzzing with people. There are so many activities up there – zip line, luge d’été, mini golf, accrobranche, etc, as well as good old-fashioned hiking and mountain biking. Everybody turned up at their appointed times and the early birds made their way to the departure point. Here they were weighed and measured before being fitted with full harnesses, very fetching hairnets, and helmets. They also had to carry the attachments for the zip line which were quite heavy as can be seen in the photos.
The screams (hopefully of delight) started to be heard at 11.30 as the first pair were belted up by the very efficient young men in charge and sent off into the void! The zip is purported to be the steepest in France descending 313 metres over a distance of 905 metres. Various combinations of legs and arms flailing could be observed from the platform and explanations offered as to why one of each pair went faster than the other. Obviously, nothing to do with the extra weight of the winner, more likely whoever was more streamlined!
All five initial double departures were completed safely and everyone returned to the Col by the pendular shuttles which were provided in good time for lunch. Three large tables had been set for us in our private corner of the restaurant and as regrettably, no table plan had been prepared, it was decided that each table would contain one member of the “240” club. The three of us had offered to cover the costs of all drinks consumed at the lunch, but the normal GIN hiking alcohol consumption amounts were quite restrained, possibly due to the presence of our female partners!
We were served the three quite acceptable courses and towards the end, Mervyn suggested that we sing the very aptly-named “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay” from the 1946 Disney film “Song of the South”. And as you know, 1946 was an exceptionally famous vintage year! There were several refrains sung and we earned rapturous applause from many of the fellow diners in the restaurant!
Time rushed on and it was time to say goodbye to some, settle the bill and leave for the zip line again for the rest of us. There was quite a large group of people awaiting being “saddled up”, but the kind gentleman there gave our group priority despite our arrival for 14.30 being a bit “juste”. Nine of us were subjected to the same indignities as our predecessors and made our way along the long ramp to the take-off.
Peter was the last to leave and went down solo. We were already eight ready to take the shuttle back – nine was not an option, so Mark offered to wait to travel back with Peter who would have been left on his own. Unfortunately, the intractable driver insisted that we be eight – not seven – in the van, but there was a beer waiting for Peter when he finally got back to the Col.
Judging by everybody’s reactions, it was a successful event with no injuries or repercussions following the lunch!
We were reminded of what a great association GIN is as it celebrates its 20-year anniversary. Fortunately, we had Mike Price with us for lunch, one of the original 20 or so members. The membership list now shows 94 Gintlemen, so we are doing OK. Most of us are in our seventh, eighth and ninth decades and looking around the restaurant, what a pretty healthy-looking group we are, helped undoubtedly by the physical and mental activities of the association!
Here’s the list of participants:
Thanks to all for coming and we missed our friends who couldn’t make it.