Paragliding off of Le Brévent over the town of Chamonix is one of the most incredible experiences a person can have, no exaggeration. Surrounded by the snowcapped French Alps, flying through the open-air over the beautiful Chamonix Valley - it's stunning, it's serene, it's thrilling - and it should be at the top of your bucket list.
Also sometimes referred to as "parapente," paragliding is when you free-fly through the skies harnessed into a paraglide (similar to a parachute, but it's shaped like an ellipse instead of a circle). Running down a hilled cliff off the mountain you'll get lifted by the wind caught in your paraglide and swept into the air, roughly 2050 meters (6725 feet) above the bottom of the valley below you.
What to expect when paragliding: the ultimate experience!
To book this unforgettable experience, you have many local businesses to choose from: Absolute Chamonix, Chamonix Sport Adventure, Fly Chamonix, Les Ailes du Mont Blanc, Haut Vol, Fly Mont Blanc, and Summits to name a few. All options offer tandem flight packages with experienced flyers, and bookings can be made by phone, email, or the linked websites above. Expect to be able to share your weight (in kilograms) while making your reservation as some weights may be more compatible with certain weather conditions than others. Tandem paragliding in Chamonix is amazing!
Fly Chamonix tandem paragliding everyday!
Where To Go
Paragliding Chamonix France, step by step.
On the day of your flight, you'll meet your instructor near the "Meeting Point" sign facing the ticket office at the bottom of the Brévent Cable Car gondolas in Chamonix. Only a ten minute walk from the center of town, Brévent is easily accessible and the main cable car system in Chamonix. If you're renting a car, there is also an underground carpark located just beyond the station as well. Absolute Chamonix paragliding!
Where to paraglide in Chamonix: Le Brevent.
Most companies will recommend that you arrive at your meeting point about fifteen minutes early to allow time to purchase your one way parapente lift ticket before boarding the gondolas. One way lift tickets should be about 20 euros but would likely be included in your paragliding package. Paragliding Chamonix winter or summer!
You can use the following address to get to Brévent:
Téléphérique du Brévent
29 Route Henriette d’Angevine
74400 Chamonix
Fly Chamonix paragliding! Full guide.
The Gondola Ride Up Le Brévent
An unforgettable experience: paragliding in Chamonix France.
Tandem paragliding tours take off from the first gondola stop on the mountain - Planpraz - about 2000 meters (6562 feet) up Le Brévent. It's a pretty steep ascent, completing the elevation gain in only around ten minutes, so you can expect your ears to pop a couple times on your ride up. With windows on all sides of the cable cars, this prelude to the big event is incredibly scenic in and of itself, and a great way to build excitement before taking to the skies. Fly Chamonix paragliding for the best memories.
If you're interested in another gondola ride after paragliding, you can also take the cables farther up the mountain to Le Brévent's peak at around 2525 meters (8284 feet) high. From here you can get a closer look at the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) glacier, go for a hike, or get some food at Les Plaques.
Paragliding Mont Blanc France, amazing views.
Preparing to Fly
Where is the best place to paraglide? Chamonix France!
Once you disembark from the gondola, you'll have to walk another 50 meters (164 feet) or so up a large rock path to get to the field where you will take off from. Ultimately, when your feet leave the mountain you'll be about 2050 meters (6725 feet) high, but you'll likely get to go up even higher during your flight.
The best thing to do in Chamonix is paraglide!
Your instructor will unpack the paraglide and lay it out on the mountain so that when it is time to run it will easily catch the air. You'll also have some time to take in the gorgeous view of the Alps and watch other teams take off while waiting for your turn to fly (only one paraglide can lift off at a time so as to prevent collisions).
Paragliding sites in France? Chamonix and Mont Blanc is the best paragliding!
Paragliding
Where is the best place to paraglide? Chamonix!
Your instructor will fit you into a helmet and harness you into the paraglide. If you have any questions you'd like to ask, this is a good last-minute opportunity to do so as it can be difficult to talk over the wind once you're in the air.
How to paraglide in Chamonix France: just do it!
When it's time to fly, your instructor will shout "GO" and the two of you will run together down the grassy cliff of the mountain. It will get harder and harder to run as air starts filling the paraglide, so give it all you've got! Paragliding in the south of France!
What is paragliding like? The best!!
In a few seconds, your paraglide will sweep the two of you off of your feet - and your flight will begin!
Most tandem paragliding flights last around 20-30 minutes, but it'll feel so much faster. You'll get to fly right up next to Le Brévent and look out at the Mont Blanc massif on the other side of the valley, home to the highest peak of the entire Alps mountain range at 4808 meters (15,777 feet).
Outdoor activities in Chamonix: paragliding!
The flight partners are extremely experienced and the harnesses are secure, you should feel totally safe the entire time! (This coming from a girl who's afraid of heights and was reprimanded mid-flight for leaning too far out of her harness 6500+ feet in the air!)
Things to do in Chamonix France: go paragliding!
If you're open to it, and the conditions are permitting, you may even get to do some tricks on your flight - like the spiral dive! If you're not comfortable with tricks you can also choose to descend slowly as you glide over the town, just communicate this to your instructor.
What to expect when paragliding in Chamonix France?
Landing Back in Chamonix
When your flight time is coming to an end, your instructor will fly you back down towards the bottom of the valley. Specks will turn back into buildings and you'll realize just how high up you'd been! In the words of my instructor, you'll land like a "butterfly on a flower." And it really is just that easy! There is no high impact, all you have to do is stand up when it's time for your feet to hit the ground! Fly Chamonix paragliding!
The landing point is a cleared field near the Brévent cable car station that you started at. From here you can either walk back to your starting point or head back into town!
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Is it scary to paraglide? No! The scariest part about paragliding is likely just the anticipation you feel before you start flying. During the flight you should be strapped in very securely. Unlike skydiving, there are no free falls when paragliding. Your parachute has also already opened and caught air at the time of your lift off, so there's no chance of it failing to open during your flight. The scariest part is just signing yourself up for the adventure!
2. How difficult is paragliding? I don't know what it is like to paraglide on your own, but tandem paragliding as the passenger is a piece of cake! The extent of what you need to know how to be able to do is listen, run, sit, and stand. You got this!
Have any questions? Let us know in the comments below!
Read our full Chamonix France travel guide for more.
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