James Bond heads for Austrian ski slopes - and it's for real this time!

HERE'S a question for James Bond fans. Has 007 ever skied in Austria?

The answer is yes… and no!

At the start of The Spy Who Loved me (1977) Bond’s boss ‘M’ is told that 007 is in Austria and the story then cuts to one of the best openings to a Bond film ever when the British spy, in the shape of Roger Moore, skis off the side of a mountain while being chased by baddies and floats to the ground using a massive union jack parachute.

However, the ski scenes were actually shot in Switzerland and the jump off the mountain was filmed on the 3,000ft Asgard Peak in Canada.

But this year the British super spy, who has taken to skis several times in the past in his fight against world domination, WILL be heading for the mountains of Austria during the filming of Spectre, the latest 007 movie.

Daniel Craig, the latest actor to play the British spy, will be one of 500 cast members and crew descending on the ski resorts of Sölden in Ötztal and Obertilliach in East Tirol for around 22 days during January and February.

They are being directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes who also directed Skyfall, the previous film in the 007 franchise, originally based around the books by author Ian Flemming, which now spans five decades.

Craig and Ralph Fiennes, who takes over the role as ‘M’, lined up with other stars at Pinewood Studios on December to publicise the 24th Bond film.

But the film then hit the headlines for a different reason when it was revealed that hackers released details of emails which claimed there were rifts between the screen writers and the cast over the script.

BUT what has yet to be revealed is whether James Bond will be strapping on a pair of skis or even a snowboard while in the Austrian mountains.

For a special feature about James Bond on skis and other Austrian news click here