Paragliding at Puy de Dôme
At 1,465 meters (roughly 4,800 feet) above sea level, your boots press into the short grass of the summit. The wind fills the wing, you take three steps, and the ground drops away. Below your harness, 80 dormant volcanoes line up like the vertebrae of a massive geological creature. Paragliding at Puy de Dôme offers a rare perspective of a landscape recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2018, all while riding the thermal currents rising from the flanks of the volcano.
Why fly at Puy de Dôme?
Puy de Dôme is a historic site for free flight. The first hang gliders took off here in the 1970s, followed by paragliders in the 1980s. The volcano features eight takeoff zones oriented in every direction, which allows for flying regardless of the wind pattern. This versatility is considered unique in Europe.
The Chaîne des Puys, the first natural site in France to be listed by UNESCO, spreads its craters and domes over 32 kilometers (about 20 miles). Soaring over them reveals a layout of the terrain that is impossible to grasp from the ground.
From the summit briefing to landing
Everything starts with the ascent. Since 2012, the Panoramique des Dômes, an electric rack railway, reaches the summit in 15 minutes. The athletic alternative is the Sentier des Muletiers (Muleteers' Path), a 350-meter climb that takes 45 minutes of walking from the Col de Ceyssat.
Your instructor meets you just a few steps from the ruins of the Temple of Mercury, a Gallo-Roman sanctuary from the 2nd century. After a ten-minute briefing, the wing is laid out against the wind, followed by a short run down the slope. You settle into the harness naturally. Schools offer several packages:
- Discovery flight: 15 to 20 minutes of calm flying, narrated by the instructor who points out the volcanoes below.
- Long-duration flight: 30 to 40 minutes spent exploiting thermals to get closer to other volcanoes in the chain.
- Adrenaline flight: steep spirals, wing-overs, and aggressive turns. You will want a strong stomach for this one.
- Educational flight: the passenger takes the controls, performs their first turns, and learns the basics of piloting.
What makes this spot so special
The 500-meter drop is modest compared to Alpine sites, which requires fine management of thermals to extend the flight. Even so, experienced pilots find plenty to challenge them. The site record, set in July 2022 by Anthony Acket, reached a distance of 252 kilometers (about 157 miles).
Landing takes place in the plain north of the volcano or on the Laschamps field to the south, a vast, open meadow. Tandem flights do not require any specific physical fitness. Children are welcome from age 5 and 25 kg (about 55 lbs), usually during time slots when conditions are milder.
Local tip: in July and August, book at least two weeks in advance. Instructors favor the early afternoon when the thermals are most active. The ticket for the Panoramique des Dômes is not included in the flight price.
Opening hours
*Information subject to change
After Annecy, I did my second paragliding flight with Aéroparapente at Puy-de-Dôme. The elevation gain isn't as impressive as it is in Annecy, but the landscapes are just as magnificent. I loved the feeling of flying over the volcanoes. The instructors were very pleasant and knew exactly how to describe what we were seeing from the sky.
Practical tips: since your feet don't touch the ground during the flight, you feel much less vertigo than you might think. However, I recommend choosing a simple descent (without the thermal lift) if it is your first experience. Choose a nice sunny day to enjoy the view.