Paragliding in Morzine Review

I met my instructor Albert at the top of the Super Morzine cable car. There are a number of take off points around the Portes du Soleil but as I live in Morzine I wanted to fly over the town and see if I could take pictures of y house from the air.

When I was booking I asked Albert if I was best in shoes or on my board, he said that shoes would be more comfortable and probably easier although for skiers either option is fine.

On the way up Albert explained that the flying conditions were good , there was very little wind and the skies were pretty clear although the flight would not last that long as the cold winter air does not offer much lift. In summer it is possible to fly from the mountains down to Annecy and beyond but those flights are reliant on the sun warming the rocks and creating thermal currents that provide lift, something we were not able to count on. Never the less things were looking good and I was excited about the prospect of flying.

I climbed into my harness and Albert strapped me in. The harness is a full body affair with a seat. It fits snugly but not uncomfortably and is definitely less constricting than a standard mountaineering or climbing harness. Albert then connected himself to his wing and then to me and we were all set.

A few steps forward took the wing into the air and at this point there was some strong resistance making moving forward pretty difficult. There was a seconds pause and then we started to move forward again and before I knew it my feet were peddling the air like Fred Flintstone. We were off.

I do not have a fear of heights but I would imagine that even the slightly nervous or those afraid of more traditional air travel would enjoy paragliding. The sensation of movement is almost none existent, only when you turn or fly low over trees do you have any real feeling that you are moving at all. It is very peaceful up in the air and the views over the mountains are beautiful.

For the more adventurous there are a few swinging turns that can be made and these certainly shift your stomach about but for the most part the flight is very gentle.

After about twenty minutes in the air we touched down as easily as we had taken off.

Paragliding is a lot more gentle and a lot easier than you might expect and if you have ever wanted to fly but have been put off by the idea that you might not be fit enough or a good enough skier then you can book up now with confidence. You are really a passenger and don't have to do anything more than enjoy the experience.

It is cold up in the air. As you sit still in the harness and the air is moving you do cool down quickly and it doesn't take long to get quite cold. Wrap up as for a cold day skiing and you should be fine. A pair of gloves and a hat and scarf will be enough to keep the chills out as long as your jacket is warm.

We flew with Aireole who we booked through Evolution2 in Avoriaz but there are other companies available in Morzine and Avoriaz if you can't find a flight to suit you. It is a great experience and one I would recommend to anyone.