Page 22 - Cross Country Travel Guide 2019

FRENCH ALPS

Annecy
The name Annecy has echoed through the
paragliding world for years. The region around

Lake Annecy is known all over the world
for its mountain scenery, nice climate and
beautiful flying. Take-offs are many, as are the
options for hike-and-fly. Thermal flying really
starts in March and lasts until late October.
Weekends in springtime and the summer
attract the crowds, especially at the site of
Montmin in Col de la Forclaz. Once in the air
though, you can quickly escape the masses
and head off to explore this huge playground.
Classic routes around the lake are marked
by gliders, so you can fly in small groups and

help each other out. The relief around the lake
is almost cookie-cutter perfect for free flight:
when they talk about textbook mountain
flying, they mean here. Check the local
rules and respect them so free flying stays
absolutely free.
chamoisvolants.fr, annecy-vol-libre.com/infos/
le-site-de-vol-dannecy
Photo: Jérôme Maupoint

Chamonix

The Chamonix Valley and Mont Blanc Massif
make up a unique site in the Alpine arc. The
scenery is almost suffocating when you see it
from the ground, but as you gain height the
magic of the place reveals itself.
You can fly 10 months a year thanks to the
many ski lifts on all faces. But no matter if
you come for thermal flying or a hike-and-fly,
Mont Blanc is like a diamond you can’t take

your eyes off. You can imagine yourself up
there some day.
The flight around the Mont Blanc
Massif from Planpraz is often done
between June and September. It’s not a
flight you’ll achieve thanks to luck, but
one that you earn after flying here a lot
and learning its secrets.

The Chamonix Valley is a privileged place
to discover paragliding and, also to learn
safely with local schools. It is also an amazing
base camp for the whole family
chamonix.net/francais/loisirs/parapente
Photo: Jérôme Maupoint

22 CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2019 FRANCE