My 10-year-old skied off a mountain – and discovered just how brave she was

Words by Justine Gosling

If you’ve ever been to the Alps, you’ll have seen paragliders slung below a crescent moon-shaped wing cruising through the sky. Perhaps you’ve wondered if you’d be brave enough to join them.

Paragliding is a growing niche adventure sport, increasing in popularity due to greater demand for outdoor experiences. An expansion in availability of commercial tandem flights has made the sport accessible to those wanting a thrill-seeking, bucket-list adventure – even children.

I can’t imagine many primary schoolers can boast that they’ve skied off a snowy mountain in a tandem paraglide (and soared through a baby blue sky whilst smiling for jaw-dropping selfies), but this was exactly what happened during a trip to Switzerland, with my 10-year-old niece, Matilda.

Verbier is world-renowned as a year-round adventure resort

Family skiing in Verbier, Switzerland

Matilda and I were skiing in Verbier, in the canton of Valais, over her Easter school holiday. World-renowned as a year-round adventure resort and for its lively après scene, Verbier village sits like a balcony on the mountain at 1,500 metres and forms part of the huge 4 Vallées ski area.

I must point out that Matilda isn’t a typical die-hard, mini daredevil, although she rides horses and bikes, plays rugby and swims with a club. However, she was interested in the paragliders overhead as we skied around the resort, so I playfully offered her the chance to do a tandem paraglide.

When asked over dinner about the prospect – and tempted with how brave she would be if she took the flight – Matilda revelled in her fear-defiant responses…and the flight was booked.

– READ MORE: How to plan your first ski holiday with a baby or toddler –

Matilda didn’t hesitate to prepare for the flight

Taking a tandem paraglide in Verbier

The next day, we spent the morning on the slopes and skied to the meeting point at the bottom of a run where Matilda’s instructor, Florian, had already laid out the wing on the snow and was almost ready for takeoff.

My niece didn’t hesitate to prepare for the flight; there was no time to hesitate! In under five minutes, they had skied off the mountain and were soaring in the sky! I could just about hear both their whoops over my cheers of elation as they took off.

I stood in awed silence for a few minutes watching them fly away and then, delighted (and in ‘super cool aunty’ mode), I got very excited about sending my not-at-all-adventurous sister the videos of her daughter daringly disappearing off the mountain and taking to the heavens.

– READ MORE: Our incredible, snowy, cross-border family ski adventure in Zermatt –

In under five minutes, they had skied off the mountain and were soaring in the sky

Is paragliding in Verbier suitable for children?

Matilda (and Florian) landed 25 minutes later on a grassy patch by the Le Chable lift at the bottom of the valley and we were reunited back at the top. Matilda couldn’t run fast enough from the lift in her rigid ski boots to tell me how amazing the flight was.

Buzzing with elation, her eyes wide with excitement and her face beaming, she casually declared, “It wasn’t scary at all,” and the experience had been “so cool!” To my comfort she had felt perfectly safe and had even asked Florian to do some tricks that (thankfully) were just a few sharp turns.

Recounting the experience, she told me how peaceful it was up in the sky and that while she was disappointed not to have seen any horses, she did see some cows.

We thanked Florian profusely, and he laughed as he told me that she hadn’t shown any sign of fear during the experience… but had let out a little scream whilst sitting on the grass after landing and a tiny spider had crawled across one of her skis.

– READ MORE: Wengen in Switzerland is now better than ever for family ski holidays –

“It wasn’t scary at all,” Matilda said

Why adventure holidays can build children’s confidence

Over a humongous hot chocolate with marshmallows and enough squirty cream to cover the entire mountain behind us, I asked Matilda to bottle the feeling of awe she had felt whilst flying.

I told her how incredibly proud I was of her adventurous spirit and willingness to try new things. “Next time you’re not feeling brave,” I said, “remember that time you flew off a mountain, and how awesome you are. You can do anything!”

She’ll remember the experience forever and Verbier will always be a very special place for us.

– READ MORE: Easter ski breaks with kids? Think Val d’Isère and start off slow –

I asked Matilda to bottle the feeling of awe she had felt whilst flying