Paragliding holidays in Chamonix and the French Alps

Paragliding in and around Chamonix

Chamonix offers paraglider pilots some of the best flying in the French Alps.

Less strong than the southern French Alps, we have some of the best take offs in the French Alps within a short drive.

For instance, Plan Praz in Chamonix is just a ten minute drive from the chalet.   The site starts working for thermals at about 10am in the summer and the scope for cross-country flights is excellent.  Plaine Joux just outside Chamonix valley starts working consistently about 1pm.

Just a little further afield are the sites of Agy, the Grands Bornand and Annecy.   All spectacular places to fly and offer fantastic cross-country potential.

Fly Guiding / Paragliding retrieve support

Maison Jaune offers paragliding holidays drawing upon Leighton's 11 years of paragliding experience of Chamonix and the French Alps:   Leighton has been flying in Chamonix valley since 1999.

If you are a paragliding pilot with more than 15 hours experience, we offer you our paragliding support service.

A group decision will be made at the start of the day as to whether or not it is likely to be flyable given the local forecast. We will then transport you to a suitable site.    If you go cross-country, we will then pick you up within a 100km radius of Les Houches (ie here to Annecy!). If your flight is more local, then we aim to get in two/three decent flights in the day.

We aim to take you to a variety of different sites (e.g. Plan Praz, Plan d'Aiguille, Plaine Joux, Agy, Grands Bornard, Annecy) during the week so that you can experience the best that this area has to offer.

Note: Leighton is not a guide or instructor and we do not offer tuition. For that, we recommend Dennis Trott at the Flyer's Lodge.  If you are an absolute beginner wanting to learn how to paraglide, we can also recommend several local schools.  Each pilot is responsible for his/her own safety. For the fly guiding/retrieve service, once the van leaves, you will be charged for the day, regardless of the number of flights you make.

To make the most of your holiday, paraglider guests should have a minimum BHPA qualification of Pilot rating with mountain thermalling experience or IPPI rating Para Pro Stage 4.   You should bring all your own gear: including clothing for both hot and cool weather, good walking or flying boots, and a proper flying helmet, and vario.   Please bring your mobile phone with international roaming, licence, log book, instruments and radio, if you have one.   Also, remember your camera, vario and GPS.

Cable cars costs are not included.

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About the chalet accommodation

Maison Jaune is a lovely chalet which sleeps a maximum of 10 in five spacious bedrooms. The bedrooms are en-suite (1 has private facilities), and all have balconies with spectacular views looking out upon the Mont Blanc range. The hot tub on the wooden deck is on even in summer, though turned down a little to a pleasant 37.5 degrees - perfect for après-vol!

The chalet also has broadband internet/WiFi, Nintendo Wii, a piano and guitar, and a multimedia music and video system with surround sound and over 1,500 movies.

Location

Maison Jaune is situated in a quiet area of Les Houches - the entrance to Chamonix valley - just a one hour transfer from Geneva airport. The chalet is located just 400 metres above the Prarion cable car which provides up lifts to the takeoff in Les Houches... and we are just a 10 minutes drive from the lifts for Plan Praz and Plan d'Aiguille... Great TOs.

Excellent food

In Winter, with our ski guests, it is as if we host a dinner party every night... and we were the Times chalet chef top three finalists 2010, so we are pretty confident you'll enjoy the food!

Catered, we include a continental style breakfast with cereals, fruit, yoghurt, croissants, and a 3-course evening meal with wine/beer on 5 nights per week.

We can arrange a taxi for you to sample the restaurants in Les Houches or Chamonix on our nights off.

Activities for non-fliers / Non-flying days

If there are any non-fliers in your group or any unflyable days, we can arrange some fun, adventurous activities for you. For example: canyoning, rafting, via ferrata... or visits to local tourist attractions, such as the Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers, etc.

Price

The price catered is 497 euros per person per week based on two persons sharing a room.

Fly Guiding/Paragliding retrieve support is an additional 25 euros per pilot per flying day inside Chamonix valley (Les Houches, Plan Praz, Grands Montets, Plan d'Aiguille), and 50 euros per pilot per flying day outside (eg. Plaine Joux, Agy, Annecy, Grands Bornand). A flying day is any day where the van leaves to go flying following the group decision on where to fly.

Geneva airport transfers

If you need airport transfers from Geneva, we can arrange these for 25 euros per person each way during normal hours (8am-9pm).

Dates

Insurance

You will require at least 'third party' flying insurance and a holiday insurance that covers medical, repatriation and cancellation cover. European citizens should bring their EHIC card - the 'European Health Insurance Card' - that entitles you to reduced-cost medical treatment if it becomes necessary while you're in an European Economic area (EEA) country.

In the UK, the 'Air sports Insurance Bureau Ltd' offers holiday insurance if required. Telephone +44 01983 298480 or e-mail airsports@bhpa.co.uk