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Planpraz
Planpraz is the midpoint of the Brevent ski area, it is from here that most people fly from if the ski lift openings and weather conditions permit. The site has two perfect take offs and is favored by an aerology that makes it the most reliable place to fly in the whole Chamonix valley.
In the winter it is possible to fly all day long, the summer we usually have to stop by one p.m. as it becomes too windy due to the suns heating effects.
Planpraz offers a stunning view of the Mont Blanc and the neighboring high peaks, the dramatic Bossons glacier and of course the town of Chamonix some 1000m below.
Every flight is different, sometimes we can climb up with the thermic activity, other times we enjoy silky smooth conditions to glide down to Chamonix. It is
for this reason that the flight times shown here are always approximate as it depends, generally, upon the degree of sunshine and the snow cover on the mountainside. Flight time around 20 mins. (Whole event time around one hour).
Winter: warm clothing , sunglasses, walking boots or soft snowboard boots . Summer: long trousers , windproof jacket and grippy shoes, preferably affording some ankle protection.
Plan de l’Aiguille
The half way stage of the Aiguille du Midi lift. A superb site allowing beautiful flights towards the Bossons glacier, nestling under the high peaks of Mt Blanc.
A superb site allowing beautiful flights towards the Bossons glacier, nestling under the snow capped high peaks of Mt Blanc and offering a rugged “natural ” ambiance to the flight. After a three minute walk down from the cable car station we launch just above the tree line from a grassy hillside at 2300m and usually traverse towards Europes longest icefall : the Bossons glacier, flying above small mountain torrents and often spotting wild deer in the forest below. The jagged seracs of the glacier and the imposing peaks of the Mt Blanc massif create a dramatic vista. The latter part of the flight is over the pine forest and then overflying the town centre of Chamonix before landing at Bos du Bouchet just behind the lake of the sports centre.
In the winter months, in contrast to Planpraz ,the snow is never packed down for us by the piste machines because there are none – this makes for a superb natural mountain ambiance but it can be very hard to run so as to launch in the deep snow. It is for this reason that we do not fly from Plan de l’Aiguille very often in the winter. The summer months are perfect but we are only authorized to fly here outside of July and August when the mountain rescue helicopter requires this area for rescuing climbers from Mt Blanc and surrounds.
Generally speaking we fly from this site from around 12 a.m. and 13.30 p.m. Sometimes earlier or later depending upon weather conditions.
Flight time approx 20 – 25 mins. (Whole event time around one hour to one hour thirty mins).
Same clothing requirements as Planpraz.
Les Houches Prarion
Les Grand Montets
(currently not available following a fire at the lift station)
An incredible flight that allows us to fly next to the Drus, above the Mer de Glace viewing the Grand Jorasses & the Italian border. The launch is from a gentle sloping glacier facing the Mer de Glace & the Chamonix valley.
As the launch is on a snowy glacier, albeit a rather benign one, French law obliges us to employ a mountain guide (included in the price of the flight) so that we can traverse the glacier without risk. Along with the Aiguille du Midi flight, this is undoubtedly one of the most dramatic lift served flights in the French Alps, I can still vividly recall every detail of my first flight here some 18 years ago !
Flight time between 30 – 45 mins depending upon weather conditions.
Warm clothing, walking boots and gloves required.
L’Aiguille du Midi
Probably THE most dramatic lift served flight in the whole of the French Alps and often cited by enthusiastic solo pilots as one of the most dramatic flights in the world!
Accessing the launch areas is not for the faint hearted, especially in the summer months when the ridge is no longer equipped with a fixed rope & walkway, as we have to descend a precipitous snow covered ridge. In contrast to les Grand Montets , the mountain guides have an important role to play in ensuing our safe descent using crampons and ice axe.
The take off area & flight is dictated by the wind conditions, south – east sector winds mean that we launch from a gentle snowy slope and have the opportunity to fly over the incredible Valley Blanche glacial valley, famed for its ski descents and lofty mountains, passing in front of Les Grand Jorasses, Les Drus, Grand Montets, Montenvers and then back into the Chamonix valley. North – west winds allow us to launch facing Chamonix using a perfectly shaped but intimidating (from the passengers viewpoint !) launch area, my preferred flight as we can then fly amidst the Aiguilles of Chamonix before flying over the stunning Bossons glacier nestling beneath the Mont Blanc and its adjacent 4000m+ mountains.
Flight time around 30-40 mins . (Whole event time around two hours thirty).
Warm clothing & supportive walking boots essential. Crampons (& appropriate boots) required in the summer months. The mountain guide (included in the price) will provide a harness and can often provide crampons.
Mountaineering, hiking , helicopter drop off tandem flights..
From Mt Blanc du Tacul (4200m – 500€) to Mt Blanc (4810m – 1100 €) to Mt Lachat (30 mins) to Varran (45mins) , Petit Combin (Swiss helicopter) or l’Aiguille des Glaciers (Italian helicopter) there is a whole host of fantastic alternative flights with just a little or sometimes a lot of effort. Please ask us for more details.
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Enquiries and bookings:
Contact us by e.mail Fly Chamonix e.mail at least the day before.
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For same day flights: Telephone or text message: 0033 6 10 28 20 77