Learn. Fly. Explore.
Courses & trips
From your first takeoff to your next adventure. Explore programs from schools and organizers and confirm the details directly with them.
Programs: 8
Autonomy course towards the Brevet Initial (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Follow-on course at Les Grands Espaces for pilots who have completed a beginner course and want to fly safely on their own in calm conditions. Each day mixes flights or ground handling, theory lessons, technical briefings and video debriefs, with the instructors adapting the programme to each pilot. Work covers forward and reverse launches, independent landings, pitch and roll exercises, 360° turns and dynamic turns, the first steps away from radio guidance and the first lift. Flying takes place on various sites around Lake Annecy and in varied conditions. On request, pilots can obtain the FFVL Brevet Initial during the course. It is sold by the day, as a weekend, as a five-day course or as prepaid days; groups have at most seven students.
Dates from the organizer
Beginner paragliding course at Lake Annecy (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Beginner course run by Les Grands Espaces in Talloires for complete novices. Theory and practice lead step by step to the first solo high flights over Lake Annecy. The first mornings are spent on the training slope (inflation, launch technique, first hops), the afternoons on theory, equipment and getting to know the sites. Depending on the weather, students then launch from Planfait or the Col de la Forclaz while two instructors guide every flight by radio from take-off to landing; an instructional tandem is possible if needed. Flights then alternate with theory (aerology, landing approaches) and ground handling. Groups have at most seven students for two instructors; the school lends glider, harness and helmet and drives to the take-offs. Besides the five-day weekday version, the course can be spread over three weekends.
Dates from the organizer
Cross-country course (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Five-day cross-country course at Les Grands Espaces for independent pilots with some experience. The instructor flies with the group, pilots carry GPS trackers and follow a jointly prepared flight plan along a route that returns to the starting point, while a retrieve vehicle follows. Routes are chosen by weather, ideally a different one each day, across Savoie and Haute-Savoie, for example in the Chablais, the Beaufortain or towards Isère. The course covers flight preparation from weather data, GPS and map work, track analysis, setting realistic goals, flying as a group and flying faster. The school supplies trackers to record and debrief flights; the course can also be bought as five prepaid days.
Dates from the organizer
Handling and SIV over Lake Annecy (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Two- to three-day handling and SIV course at Les Grands Espaces. Pilots launch from the Col de la Forclaz, practise manoeuvres over Lake Annecy in a secured zone with a boat and life jacket, and land at the edge of the Doussard nature reserve. Depending on each pilot's level, the programme covers pitch and roll, dynamic turns, spiral dives, frontal and asymmetric collapses including autorotation, wingovers, avoidance manoeuvres, B-stall, full stall and backward flight, spins and SAT. Each day starts with a briefing on safety and a reserve-extraction check; flights are filmed and pilots can take the videos home. The instructor may skip manoeuvres a pilot is not ready for. Pilots fly their own equipment.
Dates from the organizer
Hike-and-fly journey around Annecy (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Five-day itinerant vol-rando with Les Grands Espaces, preferably around Lake Annecy, otherwise in the Beaufortain. A small group of pilots hikes up to a bivouac, unstaffed hut or shelter, flies down from carefully chosen take-offs, and a support vehicle restocks food and clothing for the next day; the route is planned to use the vehicle as little as possible. Pilots learn to choose bivouac spots and take-off orientations from the weather and aerology, find a suitable launch, plan the flight and the emergency landings. Two non-flying companions can join and fly in tandem. It runs twice a year.
Dates from the organizer
Single-skin wing beginner course (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
A version of the Les Grands Espaces beginner course for novices who want to start on a light single-skin wing, popular for hike-and-fly. The first day, and the second if needed, is spent on the training slope learning the launch technique. The following days combine solo flights guided by the instructors by radio, ground exercises and games with the wing, and a reasonable dose of theory. The aim is to learn the equipment, the vocabulary and the basic principles of flight and to make the first solo flights. Groups have at most seven students; depending on conditions a day may include a long midday break and continue with evening flying. The course starts from the school's base in Talloires at Lake Annecy.
Dates from the organizer
Single-skin wing thermal course (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Thermal course at Les Grands Espaces for independent pilots flying single-skin wings. The aim is to learn to use lift to gain height after analysing the aerology: pick a suitable window and site, recognise favourable, unfavourable and risky zones, decide not to fly when needed, prepare a flight plan, turn and centre thermals, land safely and finally review the flight. Aerology, flight mechanics and rules complete the programme, and the group changes site when conditions call for it. Each day starts at the school in Talloires at Lake Annecy with licence and equipment checks. The course is sold as five days or by the day.
Dates from the organizer
Thermals and first cross-country (Les Grands Espaces)
Les Grands Espaces
Course at Les Grands Espaces for pilots who already fly on their own and want to start using thermals. It combines two topics sold together, thermal flying and an introduction to cross-country, and the instructors adapt the exercises to the group's level. Pilots learn to analyse the day's conditions and choose a site, use dynamic and thermal lift, turn and centre thermals and crab during transitions; with the instructor they work on active piloting and add aerology, flight mechanics and rules. Each day starts at the school with licence and equipment checks and radio set-up. Besides the Lake Annecy take-offs, the group travels by weather to other sites in the region, such as Mieussy, Samoëns, Salève, Semnoz, Bisanne or Passy. It can be booked as a five-day course, a weekend or single days.
Dates from the organizer