Paragliding at Puy de Dôme

Got a holiday or a long weekend coming up? Why not head to the Massif Central to go paragliding at Puy de Dôme in Auvergne?Just 3 hours' drive from Annecy, Puy de Dôme offers a complete change of scenery. Gone are the high mountains and rocky ridges, replaced by dormant volcanoes and vast grassy plateaus crisscrossed by rivers and dotted with lakes and countless small valleys. Gone too are the wooden chalets with steep roofs, replaced by houses and farms built from black lava stone with slate roofs. Add to that a rich, hearty cuisine that has nothing to envy Haute-Savoie, and you get the perfect combination for a few green days out in nature. And the icing on the cake is that at Puy de Dôme, you can paraglide pretty much everywhere!

Taking a first paragliding flight at Puy de Dôme

Puy de Dôme is a site rich in free flying history. With a first hang gliding flight as early as 1973, then the arrival of paragliding at the summit in the 80s, this volcano and its 1,465 meters of altitude quickly became a must-fly free flying site. It's indeed possible to launch in a full 360°, on easy grassy slopes, all year round. It's no surprise that Puy de Dôme has now become a major spot in France for a first flight experience. Several schools and many providers share the site, offering tandem flights paragliding at Puy de Dôme in every season.

One of the area's major paragliding schools, Freedom Parapente, is based right in Laschamps, a small village at the foot of Puy de Dôme with a stunning view of the volcano's southeast face. To take a first paragliding flight at Puy de Dôme, nothing could be simpler, just contact the school to set a date and choose the type of flight you want.And indeed, in paragliding you can have a calm first flight with a discovery package, but you can also experience sensations worthy of a roller coaster with an Adrenaline package for a breathtaking (or scream-inducing) acrobatic flight, it's up to you! Other packages also exist so everyone can find something to enjoy. Here's a quick overview of the different tandem paragliding flights available at the summit of Puy de Dôme:

• Discovery flight: 15 minutes in calm conditions – price 100€
• Child flight: 15 minutes for under-12s (25Kg+) – price 100€
• Educational flight: 15 minutes where you fly the paraglider yourself – price 110€
• Adrenaline flight: 15 minutes of acrobatic flying with stunning maneuvers – price 120€
• Long duration flight: 30 minutes in thermal conditions to gain maximum altitude – price 180€
• VIP flight: 30 minutes, a la carte, choosing whatever you prefer from all the packages – price 240€

The finest flying sites for independent pilots

If you're an independent pilot, Puy de Dôme is a magnificent paragliding site. You can get up there either on foot or by electric rack railway train: the Panoramique des Dômes. Don't hesitate to take advantage of the 60-ride pass, which is only 42€ and valid for 1 year. Once at the summit, you can stay local and fly for several hours on days with good conditions. You can then fly across the Chaîne des Puys by air and soar over all the best known volcanoes. But Puy de Dôme is also an excellent cross country starting point. Once you've topped up on altitude, it's often possible to head south to link up with the Sancy massif and aim for the Cantal or even further. The current distance record is still Montpellier, though, so it'll be hard to beat in that direction.However, Puy de Dôme can quickly get crowded in summer. If you'd rather fly more peacefully away from the crowds, the region has many other, much calmer official sites. Here are a few nice launch ideas:

• Puy de l'Ouire: ideal in a northwest wind. The climb is on foot, 30-50 minutes from the Lac du Guéry car park. A magnificent view of the Tuilière and Sanadoire rock formations.
• Puy de la Tâche: a magical site in an east wind, letting you fly the whole range from north to south. (30-40 minute climb)
• Puy de l'Angle: allows launching in many directions and offers perfect thermal yield to head off cross country over the Sancy massif and beyond. (30-40 minute climb)
• Puy du Paillaret: the go-to site in a south wind. It lets you discover the whole range and reach the Chaîne des Puys, and give a little wave to the crowds at Puy de Dôme. The hardest part will of course be getting back. (60-90 minute climb via Col de La Geneste, or 30 minutes from Super Besse taking the cable cars)

For getting back, hitchhiking is fairly easy. Passing tourists and locals alike are quite curious and willing to pick up hitchhikers with an oversized backpack!To fly cross country at Puy de Dôme, it's still important to know the authorized ceilings based on the TMAs, as well as the military corridors that can be temporarily activated. For more information >>

Good places to stay near Puy de Dôme

It's very easy to find accommodation near Puy de Dôme, given the region's usual tourism. To paraglide at Puy de Dôme, you can look around the volcano and the village of Orcines. You can even book directly at the Freedom Parapente school's gîte, located at the foot of Puy de Dôme. You'll be right on site, 100 meters from the south landing zone, where you can also practice ground handling. You'll enjoy a stunning view of the mountain and current flying conditions. You'll also be able to get all the info each morning directly from the school and its instructors, and if you're missing any gear, the paragliding shop is right at hand. A sure way to spend a relaxed stay.If you'd rather head toward the Sancy, you can look around Murol / Chambon / Aydat. It may be the most touristy area in the region, but it's also the one with the largest range of accommodation and dining options.Either way, whatever your motivations, you won't be disappointed by your little trip to the region, and you should keep a great memory of your first flight at Puy de Dôme!