Love at new heights: Swiss hiker creates ‘Tinder for the mountains’

During his mountain hikes, Thibaud Monney leaves notebooks for single hikers to share their contact details in the hope of finding love. Keystone / Valentin Flauraud

What if love could be found at the top of a mountain? That’s the creative idea of a young man from Fribourg. During his mountain hikes, he leaves notebooks for single hikers to share their contact details in the hope of meeting a fellow nature lover.

Thibaud Monney, 28, is an avid mountain hiker. While he enjoys exploring Alpine landscapes alone, he thinks sharing these moments with someone special would be even better.

After trying out dating apps, Thibaud realised they weren’t for him. “There are these algorithms that control everything. I prefer to reach the summit, where there are no algorithms. People are in the mountains because they love it, and that’s how we meet,” he told Swiss public television, RTS, on Tuesday.

Six summits equipped with notebooks

(Symbol image) After trying out dating apps, Monney realised they weren’t for him. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Inspired by this idea, the young man from [canton Fribourg] decided to leave small red notebooks along hiking trails—like a “Tinder for the mountains.” So far, he has placed them on six summits around the region of canton Fribourg where he lives: Les Merlas, Teysachaux, La Vudalla, Vanil du Van, Wandflue and Dent de Broc.

Hikers can leave their details, hoping to connect with a fellow nature enthusiast. “It all started as a joke—I told my colleagues about it, and the idea came up to create these little notebooks,” Thibaud recalls.

The concept quickly gained traction. Not long after placing the first notebook, a curious hiker came across the messages. “I thought it was a brilliant idea,” enthused Simon, who promptly added his phone number to the book.

A winning approach

In just six months, dozens of people have left messages in the notebooks. As for Thibaud, his idea has helped him make connections too.

That’s how he met Léa, 27, an avid trail runner and chocolate lover. They lived close to each other without realising it, but it was the “Tinder for the mountains” that brought them together.

“I think it’s more original to meet someone through this notebook in nature than on Tinder or the internet, which is so common,” says Léa.

Over the past two months, the two have developed a close friendship. As for love, only time will tell. But whatever happens, it seems the “Tinder for the mountains” has a promising future.

(Symbol image) It all started as a joke, but in just six months, dozens of people have left messages in the notebooks left around the mountains. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Translated from French using DeepL/amva