Want to try something new, tired of having your feet firmly
on the ground, want to see things from higher up........ discover the
Courchevel valley in its three dimensional geometry. For the ultimate
exhilaration, soar above the ski runs in another dimension, experience
the silence, taste the freedom of flying in perfect safety.
Flights
available daily - weather permitting and if the conditions allow
0930hrs
- 1630hrs
.
Paragliding is a
daytime mountain activity this means it can only operate when the weather
conditions are right for flying and during ski lift opening and closing
times. The first flight is around 0930hrs allowing time to catch the
first lift in order to get to the departure site on time. With the last
flight around 1630hrs allowing enough time to get back to Courchevel
after the flight has finished or even later if the flight ends in
Courchevel itself.
courchevel
> saulire - courchevel >col de la loze - Courchevel >
vizelle
.
Paragliding is a very popular activity with many different
companies operating not only within Courchevel but also the Three Valleys
as a whole. There are many different takeoff sites that in turn also have
many different landing sites all of which are very accessible from
Courchevel. It is one of the only activities that Whitetracks cover which
is entirely down to your personal preference that should be based not
only on what you wish to see whilst in the air but ultimately how long
you wish to stay up in the air for!
.
how
to get there FROM MERIBEL
.
Saulire
.
From the Main Lift area in Courchevel 1850 you will need to
travel up Verdons bubble lift, when at the top you will need to collect
your skis and walk across the snow to the Saulire Cable car (the large
multi person cable car to the top of the Saulire mountain). To get there
you will need to come out of Verdons lift and head right to a set of
doors that leads you to the Saulire cable car. At the top of the cable
car you will need to put your skis on, this will be where the Paragliding
pilot will meet you.
.
Col de La Loze
.
From the Main Lift area in Courchevel 1850 you will need to
travel up the Chenus Bubble lift. When at the top you will need to put
your skis on and ski the short distance to the Col de Loze two man chair
lift that you will see in front of you but slightly to the left as you
are putting you skis on. At the end of the Col de la Loze chair lift
again you will need to ski the short distance to the Paragliding take off
site which is situated between the Roc Tania Restaurant and Loze chair
lift which if you look to the right as you leave the chair you will
see.
.
Vizelle
.
From Courchevel 1850's main lift area you will need to catch Verdons
cable car (bubble lift). At the top you will need to collect your skis
and walk across the snow to the Vizelle bubble car which will be directly
in front of you. At the top of the Vizelle bubble you will need to put
your skis on, turn right and ski straight forward as if you were skiing
to Meribel. You will meet the Paragliding pilot just past the Chalet des
Pilotes (the last wooden hut on the right hand side that might have a Hang Glider out side).
Hire a Whitetracks Host to ski with you for ½ or a full day, they will
meet you at a pre-prescribed meeting point at the time requested. They
will ski with you taking you to some of the best snow and runs in the
Courchevel Valley or even the three valleys and will make sure that you
get to the activity on time. Whitetracks Host
5
minutes - 20 minutes organisation of equipment and brief
Flying
time - dependant on flight chosen and conditions
Return
time dependant on landing - will involve lifts and in some cases skiing
5
minutes handing in equipment
.
You should arrive
to meet the pilot 5-10 minutes before the requested time. The pilot might
keep you waiting but PLEASE do not keep them waiting. If you need to
catch lifts to in order to get to the meeting point please allow time for
lift queues and time to travel up on the lift.
.
When you arrive at the takeoff site the pilot will get you
set up with your necessary equipment this will include a helmet and the
all important harness. The pilot will take a few minutes to help you into
the harness making sure that it is all correctly fitted and comfortable
for you. Once you are in the Harness the pilot will then sort the glider
out with the glider laid out flat and the strings in the correct position
you will then be called over carrying your skis or snowboard and be told
where to stand. From this position it will be time to put your skis or
snowboard on.
.
Once ready the pilot will then move into position behind you
placing their skis either side of you - one ski to your left and the
other ski to your right. The pilot will then attach your harness to
theirs. When the pilot is ready and the conditions are right you will
both start to edge forward until you both start to slide down the slope
in front of you. Once you have traveled just a few meters the glider will
fill with air, rise above you both and you will gently lift off the
ground and into the open skies ahead.
.
Vizelle > suisse chair lift - €120
.
5-10 minute flight
traveling over nothing more than rocks, snow, and ski runs
.
Saulire > Courchevel 1850 - €120
.
15-20 minute flight time, this is the best flight if staying
in Courchevel 1850.. This Flight is perfect for the end of the day 'the
Last Flight' as you will then not need to catch the lift back to the top.
.
Saulire > bOZEL OR BRIDE LA BAINS - €250
.
40-45 minutes one of the longest flight in the Three Valleys.
From the top of the Saulire this flight pretty much takes you all the way
down to the valley floor. This flight will take you straight over the top
of Courchevel 1850 getting what is possibly the best birds eye view of
Courchevel available. The extra cost involved in this flight also
includes car transport back up to the resort once the flight has
finished.
.
Col de La Loze > La praz or col de la loze - €120
.
15-20 minute flight - The scenery on this flight is pretty
spectacular you will travel over snow covered slopes, mountain
restaurants and trees. At the end of the season March time when the
conditions are right, plenty of thermals, it is possible for the
instructor to land the paraglider at the takeoff site. If landing in La
Praz there are several lifts to catch to get back up to the top.
When securely strapped to a qualified instructor and
ready to go. You and your instructor will run, ski or snowboard off a
mountain with nothing more than what looks like a winged parachute - a
glider.
.
To take-off the
pilot will pull the paraglider off the ground, as it rises, like a large
kite, it fills with air to form an aerodynamic wing. As the airflows over
the wing surface - the necessary lift required for flight is developed
and within a few strides or short skied distance you and the pilot will
gently lift of the ground as you are both launched into the open skies in
front of you.
.
Once in the sky a
paraglider is highly maneuverable - by the subtle manipulation of the
control surfaces situated on the trailing edge (rear) of the wing.
.
If there is no lift, the pilot simply glides down safely to a
pre-determined landing spot. However, should the pilot successfully
locate rising air, the paraglider can gain height and land where it took
off!
.
Lift is found either where wind has been upwardly deflected
from the sides of nearby hills or where air has been heated to produce
rising currents (thermals) and is used for soaring by the flyer.
.
When landing the pilot will maneuver the glider in a figure
of eight formation and glide in at a 45° angle to the landing site. Once
lined up the pilot will glide in and then when ready will pull hard on
the steering toggles to slow the glider down as you both touch the ground
and land.
epilepsy,
fits, Heart deficiencies , Vertebral
problems or Pregnant women
.
The pilots will
adapt each flight to the excitement threshold of each individual
passenger. If you are confident the pilot may perform some aerobatics and
may even let you take over the controls during the flight if not just
ask.
Every paragliding
pilot doing tandem flights will have their own harness for the passenger
to use. They will make sure that you are properly in the harness before
they attach it to theirs at the top of the mountain. Each pilot will also
issue you with a helmet in which it is compulsory to wear in order to
take part in the paragliding activity.
Due to the
Paragliding being a daytime mountain activity you should already be
correctly dressed to take part. Unfortunately if you are on skis you will
need to leave your poles at the top of the mountain at the takeoff point.
If you are skiing with friends and don't wish to come back up the
mountain to collect your poles it is advisable to get a friend to ski
down to the bottom with your poles. If a friend takes your poles to the
bottom you will be free to continue skiing from where you landed without
the need to go back to the takeoff site this gives you the flexibility to
be able to ski somewhere different for the rest of the day.
Tandem paragliders
are only able to carry one passenger at a time. If there is a small group
of you wishing to take part in the activity at the same time it is
possible for Whitetracks to get a number of paragliding instructors with
their own gliders to take off simultaneously one after the other meaning
that you will all be in the air at the same time.
Certified
paragliders are rated under a common standard into different categories
according to their stability, maneuverability and their recovery from
unusual flight situations.
.
Generally novice or
standard gliders are very stable and easy to fly, whilst performance and
competition gliders have less inherent stability, which require more
control to fly safely but have superior performance and feel.
.
Approximately 40
sq. metres of surface area
Weight range: 140 - 230kg
Tested to 1.5
tonnes +
Weighs less than
20kg
Can be stored under your bed
Takes minutes to get ready for flight
Packs into 100
litre rucksack
.
under certain conditions
.
A Paraglider can
take you as high as 4,470 metres and
As far as 280 kilometers
.
Harness
for passenger
.
The passenger is
firmly strapped to the instructor by means of a harness. The
instructor uses toggle strings to control the direction and angle of the
ascent.
