Hike and fly in Auvergne

The classic flight sites where you can get there by hike & fly

Saint-Sandoux hike and fly

The site of Saint-Sandoux is surely one of the reference sites in the Puy de Dôme because it offers good flying conditions all year round, from beginners to advanced and even for cross country skiers. It is a site where paragliders are used to going up by car but it is possible to go up on foot by a small path in 20 minutes.

Puy de Dôme hiking fly

Puy de Dôme site although you can climb it via the Panoramique des Dômes, it is also possible to climb it on foot. Two routes are available:

• From the Col de Ceyssat by the Chemin des Muletiers, which takes 30 to 45 minutes to walk. This is the best-known path and is used by tourists and paragliders who climb on foot with a breathtaking view of the Laschamps plain and the southern part of the Chaîne des Puys.
• From the station via the Chemin des Chèvres. The path is a little longer and it takes 1h30-2h to reach the summit. A beautiful walk in the forest via the traversin.
• From the surrounding villages via the hiking trails, for example from the village of Laschamps where our paragliding school is based, where you will arrive at the Col de Ceyssat and end up on the Chemin des Muletiers.

Sites exclusively for hike and fly in the Massif du Sancy

The Sancy massif offers magnificent paragliding sites, most of which are only accessible via hiking. We present you the 4 best sites of the Sancy:

Hike and fly Puy de l'Angle

This is a beautiful site with the possibility of taking off from the east, west or south depending on the conditions. It is also a site with great thermal yields and cross country departures. An exceptional site in terms of beauty and flying conditions! From the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert, you will find the GR to climb to the summit. But the flight must be earned because it takes between 30 and 40 minutes of walking. But you will certainly not be disappointed!

Hike and fly Puy de la Tâche

[Photo by Charles Fella]

In the Sancy, between Mont-Dore and Chambon sur Lac, near the Col de la Croix Morand. To reach the summit, it is necessary to walk 30-40 minutes from the Col de la Croix Morand where you will find a path going south. You will arrive at the summit at 1620 metres for a magnificent flight.

Hiking flight Puy de l'Ouire

A beautiful paragliding site with incredible panoramic views from the top and in the air. It is especially a perfect site for beginners with a grassy and easy take-off without obstacles. Located between Orcival and Le Mont-Dore, near Lac du Guéry, you will need to walk 35-45 minutes from the Roches Tuillière and Sanadoire car park to reach the summit. You will need to take the GR 30 heading east at the Col de Guéry.

Hiking flight Puy Gros

A magnificent flying site, north of Le Mont-Dore, at Murat le Quaire with a direct view of the Puy de Sancy. You will have to walk up to the summit from a forest path 600 metres before the Banne d'Ordanche car park. It takes about 45 minutes to walk up to the summit and the climb is about 250 metres.

Hiking flights in Cantal in Auvergne

Also in the Cantal, many hiking flights can be done. Here are the best specific sites for walking and flying in Cantal.

Puy Mary South Pass

Surely one of the most famous sites in the department, this take-off is accessible in a few minutes walk (about 20 minutes) from the Pas de Peyrol. It is a site which offers a beautiful difference in altitude (between 290 and 700m) but above all a magnificent landscape.

Puy de la Tourte

Situated opposite of Puy Mary, this site offers 2 decos: Buron d'Eylac and La Maurinie. These two sites are accessible after a 20-30 minute walk from the Pas de Peyrol.

Pierre de Labro Nozières

Between Murat and the Pas de Peyrol, north of Dienne. This is a great site to progress in paragliding with a large grassy slope, the possibility of soaring, thermal flying where it is easy to rest at the top even in strong winds. To get there you will need to park above Renouziers and walk up the slope (about 30 minutes).

But in any case, the majority of paragliding sites are accessible on foot either by road or by specific hiking trails.

For those who wish to discover all the sites in the region, the CDVL63 has produced a small booklet where you can find all paragliding sites in Auvergne and information on how to fly there.

Hike and fly precautions

• Knowing how to analyse unknown sites

In hike and fly, the objective is to discover new landscapes, new sites by enjoying the scenery first, to arrive at the top and have a magnificent flight and to have this feeling of accomplishment. Knowing that there will probably be no one flying, the market and flight requires theoretical skills to analyse the dangers and the aerology of these unknown sites for us. If you don't have these skills, it is better to go with an experienced paraglider who will be able to advise you and scout the flight.

• Putting all your chances on your side to fly

Remember to check the weather applications on the sites before you leave to see the conditions of the day. Also, as you know, weather and air conditions change with the time of day and the seasons. The morning is the best time for calmer conditions before the valley breezes set in and therefore to maximise your chances of flying and not having made the effort "for nothing".

The equipment will also play a role in the success of the practice of walking and flying. A light equipment will allow you to be less tired and to take off safely. You can find all the perfect light equipment for hiking on our paragliding shop.

• Knowing how to give up

The most important thing in paragliding (but also the hardest) is to know how to give up! After a long walk with all your paragliding equipment on your back, it can be difficult to give up flying even if the weather conditions seem to be limited. In any walk and flight, it is necessary to foresee a possible descent on foot. Both in terms of disappointment and timing so as not to get caught in the dark. But as soon as you think that the weather conditions are limited, it is better not to take off to avoid taking risks. Wait a while, be patient and if the conditions do not change, you will have to go back down on foot!

For experienced paragliders who love rando flying: go for competition

For those who love rando flying, there are also walking and flying competitions all over France all year round, listed on the FFVL website. In Auvergne, you can take part in the Cantal Air Tour, which has been taking place at the beginning of July for a few years. It is a really nice competition which, as its name suggests, takes place in the Cantal and the beautiful Monts du Cantal. You can find all the information on their website or social networks.

Or go for a bivouac flight

For the more extreme, you can also go on a bivouac flight. With the added aspect of sleeping outdoors, bivouac flying is a great way to get closer to nature and disconnect for a few days or more. It is a great activity to recharge your batteries in the mountains between flying, walking and bivouac. For those interested, find all the information about this practice on our article about bivouac flying.

You now have all the information you need to go hiking in Auvergne, whether in Puy de Dôme, Sancy or Cantal.