With the highest peaks rising over 3000m, the Pyrenees is a wonderful location for aerial sports, whether you are new to the excitement, or experienced, there are local experts who can show you the best that the Pyrenees has to offer!

Paragliding and Hanggliding schools

Gypaëte - Based in Foix (30 mins)

Gypaëte is the premier paragliding school in the midi-Pyrenees, and offers a full range of services for all levels of experience:

• introductory paragliding using a 'tandem' harness where you glide strapped to the front of the instructor, who controls the whole experience. (The introductory flight cost about £40-50)
• full one week courses to take you from being a complete beginner to a solo pilots

The school website is at Gypaëte (this site is mainly in French).

Parapente en Ariege - Foix (30 mins)

All year round paragliding based at Foix, they claim to take anyone from 7 to 77! Again, you can choose from introductory flights, 'discovery days', and training courses for those wishing to improve their knowledge and technique.

Full details (in French only) are available on their website (French only).

Port de Lers near Foix

Sites for free-gliding

The paragliding and hanggliding training schools use reliable sites in the Pyrenees, and these are also open for any experienced pilot to free-fly. The best known local sites are:

Prat d'Albis - (30 mins from us)

The Prat d'Albis launch site is 1200m up in the hills above Foix, and the flight takes you over tree lined valleys with beautiful views of the mountains.

Port de Lers - (90 mins from us)

Port de l'Hers is 1500m high, and is the launch site shown in the photo to the left. Depending on the prevailing breeze, the flight can take you over some of the Pyrenean lakes, valleys or craggy peaks.

Rizoul - (90 mins from us)

A soaring lauch from a rock above Vicdessos with a north / North West facing direction, there is then a 700m descent to the landing on the rugby ground far below! Not for the faint hearted!

Puivert - (25 mins from us)

The Puivert launch site is on an isolated hill 600m above sea level to the South of the village. The flight normally takes you down towards the village with is chateau, leisure lake and Cathar history. This, and the following site are described on the Aud'eole website.

Pic de Brau - (40 mins from us)

Above the Aude river this is a gentle launch on the crest of a long escarpment, but the landing site is quite small and awkward with unpredictable wind. The site provides a 300m descent, again for flight into the prevailing North Westerly wind.

Parachuting schools

The aerodrome at Pamiers is regularly used by the French Army for its parachute training courses, and the school is happy to offer the same facilities to the general public. With over 26,000 jumps per year, this airfield counts itself as one of the 5 busiest parachuting bases in France.

Gliding (vol a voile)

Gliding is available from the airstrips at St Girons and Puivert. Again, there is a full range of courses and training available from introductory sessions through to specialist mountain gliding.

Light aircraft

A full range of light aircraft introductory flights and training sessions are available from the airstrips at Pamiers and St Girons. Many courses are available, examples are:

• Introductory light aircraft flight
• Private Pilots Licence (PPL) training
• Mountain qualifications (for normal conditions or even special training for snow)
• ... etc.