Paragliding Holidays - Flights from Annecy

Paragliding holiday flights by clients at Maison du Moulin B&B. Why not join them?

Home - Adrian - Andy - Roger - Gareth - John - Brendan

Jon - Lance - Andrew - Home

For those with Google earth A Lark - John English - Richard Barber - May2006

and now for the A-team (Annecy-paraguides)

Andrew Larkins - 100k

Like many of Irwyn's paragliding clients I went back for another visit in 2004. Having had a great time on an XC course in 2003 I brought a few of my friends with me this time to keep me company and take photos of me while I was flying.The aim of the trip, for me, was to put into practice what I have learned in the previous years course.

Irwyn acted as guide providing a weather briefing over breakfast and advice on selection of sites and routes to suit our mixed ability group. We were transported to take off, advised of local conditions and had a flying guide we could contact by radio in the air.

On a typical day our low air time pilot would take off early before the thermic activity got started and have a nice top to bottom flight. Later in the day he would return to take off for a thermic flight as the air was settling down in the early evening. The XC team would wait unit other people were showing it was easy to stay up around the take off area.

On my first full flying day we took off from Montmin with a task set of heading across the lake and South with an ultimate goal of trying to cross the valley from Dent d'Arclusaz. I knew the route from the 2003 XC course year so navigation was easy, but my previous experience ran out half way
across the valley where I had landed.

This time I caught a climb in the middle of the valley and 4h 45m after take off I found myself in Theys having flown more than 30k after the valley crossing. Tired I phoned Irwyn on landing and he kindly came to retrieve me from the bar where I was celebrating having added 50% to my longest previous
flight. Joan had supper waiting for me when I got back to the house and my friends congratulated my on my luck over a beer! I would have been happy to go home then feeling pleased with my flying. However I felt I had to prove it wasn't just luck.

The trace above shows a flight later in the week. Irwyn had taken us to Grand Bournand and gave the XC team the goal of making it back at least as far as the house. Taking off at about 1.15pm I did not have a good start to the flight rapidly finding myself below take off height watching the rest of
my group climb to cloud base. Eventually I rediscovered my thermalling skills and crossed to Point Percee. It was then a case trying to catch the rest of the group. I achieved this as we reached La Tournette and came within sight of the lake and Irwyn's house.

On the radio Irwyn said he would land back at the house to help Joan with supper as planned. The other pilots in the air then split to do their own things. I decided to continue South and try to make it as far as Dent a'Arcluaz before the strong lift died in the evening. I made it there by about 5pm. The 10k glide across the valley looked like an attractive rest from thermalling so I went for it.

As I reached the far side I could see other pilots struggling to stay up at a couple of the local takeoffs. It did not look too hopeful. Slowly I climbed above the tree covered slopes and climbed above all the pilots at the local takeoff. At this point I have been in the air for 4h30m an was feeling tired to I decided to keep navigation easy again and head towards my previous landing point at Theys. Over the next 1h20m I worked my way 25k along the ridge. I was not finding strong climbs, just large areas of zeros
and the occasional 2 up. As ever the birds were my best guide to the strongest lift.

At the end I was just defeated by the col du Barioz at 1041m. I landed 6.5k from Theys failing to cross the col by less than 100m altitude. This had been my longest flight ever both in distance and duration. I was on a mental high, but physically tired.

I had not chosen to land near a main road, because I was focused on a goal. Rather than phone Irwyn for a retrieve I texted to say I had landed safely and would try to hitch. So after nearly 6 hours in the air I walked along a farm track to get to a minor road with a large grin on my face. I had proven
the earlier flight was not just luck! 2 hours, 120k by road and 3 lifts later I was back at the house for another of Joan's mega meals and a beer. I needed the food to regain my strength for another days flying and the beer just tasted good.

In a week in Annecy I flew for about 300k during 22h in the air which compares very favorably to 148k total in 11 XC flights in UK in the same year.