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Pioneering spirit and Swiss precision. Our story. Letting our ideas fly, that's what we do. For over 30 years, at ADVANCE we've always put our pilots' needs and wishes first. With Swiss precision, we refine model after model: the highest quality and absolute reliability come first, both in the air and in our services. That's how, from pioneers, we became perfectionists, and a leading global supplier worldwide.
Stories From stories of pioneering athlete expeditions to news of the latest product collaborations. Explore and be inspired.
La Panière From father to son A family-run SME. In 1993, Gérard Cantenot and his son Pascal created La Panière, envisioning a store embodying the know-how of the modern artisan, baking fresh bread throughout the day right in front of customers. Its offer of hot bread, its parking, and its long hours ensured quick success. New locations followed one after another: Annecy, Chamonix… Then, as the trade evolved along with how people consume bread, La Panière took the turn toward snacking…
Since 1921 A story of canvas, family, and mountains. Tested and certified in Chamonix, Millet was born in Annecy, in the heart of the French Alps. Since 1921, we've been supporting you, mountaineers and mountain enthusiasts. Our clothing, backpacks, footwear, sleeping bags, and accessories are designed for all your adventures. The mountains are our favorite testing and learning ground. And the experience of our communities is a genuine source of innovation for our development teams.
SUPAIR, 40 years of life in the air Supair was born in Haute-Savoie, between a design workshop and favorable winds, between sewn thread and mountain thermals. Our common thread: the joy of flying, staying close to you, excellence, and teamwork.
The company SKY SERVIS was founded in Slovenia in 1988. It later merged with its long-standing Czech partner to become SKY PARAGLIDERS. Year after year, the company grew to become what it is today, offering a complete range of paragliders, reserve parachutes, and other paragliding accessories.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF FUN The OZONE team is made up of pilots, including World Champions and National Champions. They're all passionate about free flying, its simplicity, and its beauty.
INNOVATIVE DESIGN MADE IN FRANCE At NEO, we manufacture, design, and develop our products in our workshop on the shore of Lake Annecy. To bring real innovation to our products, not just in design but also in production methods, we decided to build an in-house development line that ensures the quality and reliability of our products..
Outdoor sports glasses, ski masks, and helmets designed and made in France. Since 2013, Altitude Eyewear has been creating glasses for adults and children, ski masks and helmets for everyone who lives the mountain life to the fullest. Based in Annecy, between lake and mountains, the brand draws its energy from outdoor sports: skiing, mountaineering, mountain biking, climbing, paragliding, base jumping, slacklining, and trail running.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to Stay During the Course?
Accommodation
Below you'll find a list of several places to stay near our paragliding school in Talloires. This list isn't exhaustive... you'll have a choice of campsites, hotels, gîtes, and more...
- La Chavanne
- Camping l’Horizon
- Les Alérions
- Pavillon des Fleurs
- Gîtes de France
- Gîte de Glaise
- Camping le clos Don Jean
- Florimontane
- Camping Champs Fleuris
- Pré St Jean
- Le Clos Marcel ****
How Does a Paragliding Flight in Annecy Work?
A paragliding flight in Annecy is an experience that's both thrilling and soothing,
offering a stunning view over the valleys, the lake, and the surrounding mountains.
A tandem paragliding flight, or first flight, is a flight for two people: a passenger (you), and a professional paragliding instructor,
holder of the state paragliding certificate. (team page)
- We set an appointment together by phone (a few days ahead if possible).
- We meet at our Shop-School, located in Talloires, right across from the landing area. There you'll meet our team, and above all the instructor who'll take you on this thrilling experience.
- We'll then all head up together by minibus to the launch (depending on weather and aerological conditions, and the flight you've booked, we'll take you to one of the two launches: Col de la Forclaz or Planfait).
- There, your instructor will fit you with a harness and helmet, then prepare the tandem wing on the ground... On the count of go, all that's left is a short run facing the lake to take off!
- That's it! YOU'RE FLYING!!! All that's left is to fully enjoy this sensation of freedom and the view, comfortably seated in your harness, settled into your tandem harness. Natural thermal lift, those rising warm air currents, extends the flight, letting you admire Annecy's majestic landscapes
- Landing happens smoothly... The descent is controlled and the approach is done safely. Just a few more steps, and you're back on solid ground... with your head still in the clouds :)
- Back at the shop, where you'll be given a nice personalized certificate, along with all the photos and videos of your wonderful adventure...
A paragliding flight in Annecy with Les Grands Espaces is a memorable adventure, led by professionals who guarantee an experience that's both safe and unforgettable.
What If the Weather Is Bad?
Sometimes Mother Nature plays tricks on us.
If weather conditions don't allow us to fly, rain and wind are our main enemies,
as is fog; we reschedule to better days, since what matters most is enjoying yourself without taking any risks.
What Age Can You Take a First Paragliding Flight?
There is no minimum age for a tandem paragliding flight with a professional instructor.
Whether you'd like to discover the activity with a first flight, or even learn to fly solo, paragliding is an activity accessible to the whole family, from young children aged 5 and up, to grandparents.
For learning to fly, the school accepts future pilots from age 12, with parental consent signed by both parents ( downloadable on the FFVL website)
Children can therefore fly from age 5-6. At that age, they'll be fully aware of the experience, they'll enjoy the flight, and they'll definitely keep vivid memories of it. The only constraint for children actually lies in the minimum weight they need to have. A tandem paraglider wing is indeed designed to fly with a certain load, corresponding to the pilot's weight combined with the passenger's. Even though the weight range is wide for a first paragliding flight, the child needs to weigh at least 20 kg and provide parental consent, or that of their legal guardians, since they're a minor.
Our Customer Reviews
This is the best and safest school in Annecy to learn, progress, or fly tandem in paragliding. A huge thank you to Olivier, Thibaut, Max, and Elie for their support during these two weeks of progress toward independence, as well as to Arnaud, Ahcene, Alain, and the whole team who help create a warm, friendly atmosphere. Your safety is in good hands with this highly professional team. See you soon!
I just finished my 5-day paragliding initiation course with Les Grands Espaces, and I'm leaving with stars in my eyes! 🪂 A huge thank you to Arnaud and Robin, two exceptional instructors. Great teachers, patient, and really attentive, they know how to adapt to each student and build confidence. You can tell they love what they do, and it shows! This week was an incredible experience, I'm leaving with a great foundation and above all the drive to keep going. See you soon, team! And thank you for everything! 🙏
A great initiation course, well structured and progressive, all the way to the first solo flights. Thibaut and Thibaut, our two instructors, super professional, great teachers, and super chill. A real dream team! Thanks to both of you for this week, see you soon in the sky 🤙