Detour Pit Stop #31: 007 Elements, Austria
Perched high on an Austrian mountain top, just like a villain’s lair is the incredible 007 Elements. Not simply a museum, but an immersion into the world of James Bond.
It’s described as “A James Bond Cinematic Installation” and offers nine chambers created by 007 set designer Neal Callow.
Just getting there is an adventure in itself. First you’ll have to find your way to Sölden, some 60 miles south west of Innsbruck. Whether you take the A12 autobahn due west or the narrow L13 you will soon enough find yourself on the 186 south, a mostly fast, flowing road with increasingly more epic views of the mountains.
Arriving at Sölden you climb aboard the Gaislachkogl cable car for a vertigo-inducing ride to the 3,000m peak.
It’s up here that the mighty mountain chase in Spectre was filmed. Daniel Craig’s Bond sledges down the mountainside having in a plane, pursued by a SPECTRE agents in their Land Rovers.
It’s fitting, then, that one of the first things you’ll see when you arrive is a Defender on guard on a rock wall, slowly succumbing to the elements.
007 Elements is situated next to the ice Q restaurant which was used as the Hoffler Klink in the film and where you can enjoy Austria’s highest situated gourmet cuisine.
Entry to 007 Elements is through the Barrel of the Gun, a moody anteroom showing Bond titles and playing that unforgettable soundtrack. Next you’ll pass through an open air plaza which is really just an opportunity to admire the work of local architect Johann Obermoser, who designed this impressive building. Carry on through to the lobby where you can watch a history of Bond narrated by director Sam Mendes.
Next is the The Lair, an immersive digital theatre where you can learn more about the characters in the 007 franchise. Move along to the briefing room and Moneypenny actor Naomi Harris will brief you on Bond' locations and sets. Room six is the Tech Lab, featuring interactive displays centred around the gadgets created by Q Branch.
The Action Hall turns attention to special effects and stunts, its centrepiece being an exploded aircraft, as seen in Spectre. Enter the Screening Room to watch the Spectre mountain chase for yourself before exploring the 007 archive in the Legacy Gallery.
With its incredible setting and depth of information, 007 has a licence to thrill any Bond fan. Those with a licence to drive who want to experience more 007 action can always go on to explore Switzerland’s Furka Pass, which is 200 miles to the west.
Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Shutterstock