James Bond may have come to life in 1953, with the release of Ian Fleming’s “Casino Royale,” but it took the film adaptations (which have been going strong since the 1960s) for 007 to become a global sensation. One of those iconic movies was the 1964 film, “Goldfinger,” starring Sean Connery. In fact, it was anything that Bond touched in that movie which turned to gold — Aston Martins and martinis shaken, not stirred included. The same goes for the film’s locations, which forever remain draws to Bond fans. Ranking among the top is Switzerland’s Furka Pass, where 007 famously tailed the film’s namesake villain. And it’s no wonder; the surrounding Alpine peaks and zigzagging road are a cinematographer’s dream. So identified is the pass with the film and franchise, that the famous curve the is now called James Bond Strasse and it joins the ranks of other James Bond filming locations you can visit.
To capture even more of Bond spirit — and his Aston Martin DB5 — drivers are also equipping themselves with sports cars for the road. On any given day, a Porsche 718 Boxter, Aston Martin Zagato, BMW E30 M3, Ferrari California T, or McLaren P1, might speed by you, and numerous supercar dealers in the area help make this so. The Furka Pass is also on the route of luxury “supercar” driving tours by Gran Turismo, including the seven-day Gran Turismo Europa 2025 from Montreux to Saint-Tropez. Danger adds to the thrill, as high speed, hairpin turns, and steep cliffs do not generally mix well. Add in bikes, motorcycles, and hikers, and accidents do happen, unfortunately.
Exploring the Furka Pass
The full Furka Pass runs 19 miles between Gletch, on the west side, and Andermatt, on the east — connecting the cantons of Uri and Valais. Numerous towering mountain peaks gird the valley, including Gärstenhörner (10,462 feet), Sidelenhorn (10,554 feet) and Gross Leckihorn (10,065 feet). But the real star of the scenery is the Rhone Glacier, one of Switzerland’s larger glaciers and the source of the namesake river that flows to Marseille, France’s oldest and second-biggest city that Rick Steves considers an overlooked gem. Hikers can get up close and personal with the glacier on several trails, including Gletsch Nature Trail, Rhone Glacier Hike, and Ice Grotto. The glacier is also part of the Furka Pass–Tällistock circular hike.
If tires are preferred to boots to see the scenery, scenic pull-offs abound, such as Photo Spot Furka and Belvedere viewpoint, where the (now closed) Belvedere Hotel hosted the rich and famous for decades –– Sean Connery included. Another is the Goldfinger viewpoint, where 007 literally dodged a bullet, now marked by a boulder with “Kil 47.” Visitors more skittish about driving can take the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway instead. Spouting nostalgia with the vapor, the 100-year-old engine and carriages rumble 11 miles through the pass and reach up to 6,500 feet between Realp and Oberwald. This is also golfer country, with multiple courses on either side of the pass, including Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course, Golfclub Sedrun, and Golf Source Du Rhone.
Travel Tips for Furka Pass
