Paragliding at Bourg Saint Maurice

Paragliding Spots Around Bourg Saint Maurice

Bourg Saint Maurice is the paragliding capital of Haute Tarentaise. In 2023, we hosted the French Paragliding Championship, the Tarent’air tour, and our end-of-season event “La Tête en L’air”.

To locate the sites, click on the blue links, and the Google Maps location will appear.

This page provides a quick overview of our sites from Les Arcs to Peisey Vallandry via the sunny slopes. It will be updated and completed regularly.

The Landings at Bourg Saint Maurice

Landing at Les Ilettes:

It’s huge and easy, making it the ideal field for beginners, located halfway between Landry and Bourg Saint Maurice.

From around 1 pm, the breeze sets in, making it the spot to learn or improve inflation techniques. The breeze can become strong in the afternoon (see the paragraph on aerology).

Landing at La Gare:

This field is not for beginners. Located in the city center, it is narrow and quickly becomes turbulent after 12 pm (depending on the season), reserved for BP level pilots.

Close to the funicular, it is very convenient for reaching the flying sites of Les Arcs.

This site is forbidden from September 1st to July 1st.

The Takeoffs Around Bourg Saint Maurice

Also called “Fort de la Platte,” it’s an east-facing morning site. It’s also the start of beautiful hikes in the Beaufortain, notably “the 5 lakes”. Beware of the firing range; it’s a regulated area, inquire about its activation before flying.

Le fort du truc:

Also called “Fort 1500,” about 500 meters lower than Fort 2000. Beware of the firing range; it’s a regulated area, inquire about its activation before flying.

Le plan de la boute:

It’s the meeting point for cross-country pilots early in the morning for the start of big cross-country flights, no official takeoff, you have to go up the slopes a bit and find your spot. Close the fences behind you, drive slowly on the paths and in the hamlets, all sites are sensitive.

The intermediate of Dôme de Vaugel:

Be cautious, this site is fragile. An incident involving a wing in a lift or an emergency deployment during busy times could lead to its closure. Know when to back down for safety.

School Slopes:

The school slopes in Bourg Saint Maurice are all private and managed by paragliding schools, making them inaccessible to the public. Only the Ilettes landing area is available for refining your inflation techniques. The most frequently used school slope is located at Arc 2000.

Please respect the official grounds in your practice. Negotiations with the operators are very difficult, and any unsanctioned activity (takeoff, landing, school slope use) leads to site closures.

Aerology and Its Traps in the Bourg Saint Maurice Valley:

The Bourg Saint Maurice valley is very wide, offering generous thermal conditions, yet we are often sheltered from strong weather winds.

The valley breezes and aerological traps are, of course, covered during our courses.

The Valley Breeze (the famous Bourg Saint Maurice breeze)

The valley breeze often becomes strong from 2 pm onwards. In summer, it can easily reach 30km/h or even 40 and beyond. It’s therefore prudent to check the FFVL weather vane at the Ilettes field before taking off.

The Foehn in the Bourg Saint Maurice Valley.

The Foehn effect is well known to paragliders. In Bourg Saint Maurice, it can be powerful and very turbulent. If the Foehn is forecasted, it’s advisable to abstain from flying.

If the weather vane at the Petit St Bernard pass reports a North or North/East wind over 15km/h, it’s likely that the Foehn is setting in.

The Cottier weather vane should also be monitored. Be very cautious as soon as the wind turns North.

Caution:

Traffic on the paths of Arcs 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950, Arc 2000, and Vallandry is forbidden for vehicles without a permit (fine of €135).

It’s also prohibited to land on ski slopes in winter, and a 50m flyover height above lift mechanisms must be respected.

Our Tandem Flights Around Bourg Saint Maurice

In Summer:

For tandem flights in the morning, we mainly use the Cachette takeoff for discovery flights, with landing at the “Gare field” in Bourg Saint Maurice.

In the afternoon, we alternate between the “10 de face” site and the Vallandry takeoffs: “l’écureuil”, and “le petit déco”, with landings at the Ilettes Landing Field.

During courses, we use all the sites, those facing East in the morning (Fort 2000, Fort du truc, Dôme de Vaugel), and the others later in the day (Cachette, 10 de face, Les enfants terribles). Not to forget for progressing students the legendary flight from the Aiguille Grive.

In Winter on the Slopes of Les Arcs.

The Grizzly Takeoff:

This is one of the rendezvous points for our tandem flights in winter, at the top of the Grizzly chairlift in Peisey Vallandry

The Fond Blanc Takeoff:

Located at the start of the Fond Blanc black run, accessible from the top of the Arpette chairlift above Arc 1600 and Arc 1800, or from the Bois de l’Ours chairlift at Arc 1950 and just below Arc 2000.

Vezaille:

After years of negotiation, the Les Arcs resort has officially opened the takeoff at the summit of the Vezaille ski tow at Arc 1600. The site is authorized until April 27th and will likely be extended if everything goes well.

This site is not suitable for beginners due to its takeoff aerology and the presence of mechanical lifts. It’s the only takeoff in Les Arcs that allows for pedestrian access with the mechanical lifts. It is accessed by the Combette chairlift from Arc 1600; then, you must walk up to the top of the Vezaille ski tow along the edge of the slope. The return to Arc 1600 can be done by funicular.

Be cautious, this site is fragile. An incident involving a wing in a lift or an emergency deployment during busy periods could lead to its closure. Know when to back down for safety.