Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions from the public

Here is a short list of the most frequently asked questions and answers about paragliding. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Plan to arrive at the bottom of the Puy de Dome (bottom station or Col de Ceyssat) at least 1 hour before the meeting time at the top.

At the summit the instructor will start by equipping you (helmet and harness). He will explain you how to take off according to the wind conditions. He will then prepare the equipment and will equip himself. Then he will tie you up with him and you will be able to start the take-off together.

That’s it, you are in the air for 10 to 40 minutes depending on the chosen formula and the aerological conditions.

At the end of the flight you will be briefed on landing and you will only have to regain your sense of land. You will be un-equipped, debriefed and if you have taken it you will be given the SD card or video ticket.

Don’t worry, you can’t get dizzy during paragliding because you are not connected to the ground. It’s an amazing and gentle sensation, you see the landscape just like in the photos. As in a plane, you may have a slight apprehension at the beginning, but no feeling of vertigo.

No, paragliding is not a very physical activity, you only have to take a few steps or even a short run and the wing will quickly take care of you.
Once in the air you will be sitting comfortably, just like in your sofa!!!!

First of all your instructor will explain the take-off instructions: just walk and don’t stop. The glider will gradually carry us and take us gently into the air. Under no circumstances will you have the sensation of throwing yourself into the void or falling!

Once in the air under the paraglider, all you have to do is raise your legs and let yourself slide into your harness! In the air you will be sitting just like in your sofa. Once comfortably installed, enjoy your flight, and if you wish we can even fly you for a while !

In paragliding, very few people are prone to airsickness! (about 5%). These are people who are sensitive to seasickness or the back of cars. In this case take an open flight, no one gets sick for 10-20 minutes.

We meet at 10 am at the exit of the station. Otherwise we meet on one of the take-offs – Go where you see the paragliders.

Don’t wait to book as you will never fly:

Our agendas are usually full a week in advance, even 2 months for some summer weekends…
The general public weather forecasts you consult are models which give average results over a wide area, the summit of the Puy de Dôme is a very special case in this average estimate (especially for wind and clouds). See the weather forecast page.
The confidence index decreases with anticipation… One week earlier, the confidence index rarely exceeds 20% for the wind strength.

It’s up to you!
If you are sensitive in transport, it is better to abstain or to plan a delay in digestion.
If this is not the case, eat a light meal instead and avoid drinking alcohol beforehand.
In any case, drink water to keep yourself well hydrated before the flight.

Yes there is a low and high limit for the weight of the passenger. It depends on the flight formulas, our instructors and their equipment.
When booking by phone we assign an instructor and a schedule according to your weight.
For height there is no problem, unless you are over 2.20 meters tall.

There is no particular danger. Each paraglider is serviced and inspected regularly.
The instructor prepares and checks his equipment with great care!
Until the very last moment he judges whether or not the weather conditions are suitable for the flight. The instructors will not take any risks if the conditions are not optimal. So, take off without fear and enjoy this exceptional experience. All you have to do is sit comfortably in the harness and enjoy !!!

You get on by train or on foot (about 13€ – 20 minutes). Park at the Col de Ceyssat, 40 min walk medium level.

The voucher is valid for life provided that it is reactivated by telephone at least once a year. Also, if an appointment made during the year is cancelled due to the weather, the voucher will remain valid.

We fly at 40 km/ and can climb to over 2000m on some days. The temperature felt can be more than 15°C lower than in Clermont Ferrand.
At take-off the grass is slippery; it is recommended to wear well closed shoes with non-smooth soles (hiking boots, running shoes…).

Depending on the weather conditions, we often manage to rest at the summit. We therefore advise you all to come to take off. Your companions are likely to be present during take-off and landing. Should you still land at the bottom, you can board the landing gear with us free of charge.
– Do I risk losing my sunglasses? (or your eyesight)
– No risk, thanks to the helmet it is not likely to leave. We also strongly advise you to wear glasses, as speed and the sun are a nuisance for some people.

You must arrive at the top of the Puy de Dome on the take-off zone at the latest, at the time of the appointment you have been given.
We advise you to arrive between 40min and 1 hour in advance to queue, get your train tickets or walk up.
On certain busy days (mainly in August) it can happen that the train is full and you can only take the next one.

If you arrive early, our monitors may also be early and can fly you out earlier…
However, if you arrive late, so as not to penalise subsequent customers and if there are no other alternatives, we may be forced to cancel the appointment.

The Puy de Dôme site is very practical with its rack railway which takes you to the summit in 20 min. At the top, the view is grandiose. The chain of puys reveals its volcanic diversity, unique in the world. The multiple take-off areas allow you to fly in all directions. And the landing areas allow those accompanying you to enjoy the show! It is a magical site, a must to discover paragliding !!

Don’t hesitate any longer, you just need to know if you want to do it or not!

Sign up for your paragliding flight, it’s a unique and sensational experience that you won’t soon forget!

Not at all! The evening before at around 8pm the latest accurate weather models arrive. We wait for these last elements to have the most certainty for the next day. You will receive an SMS before 9pm confirming or cancelling the next day’s flight. If you have not received an sms; please call us in the morning before you travel, it is possible that there is a network problem or a number error.

Yes if the camera does not pose a risk to take-off, flight and landing. We refuse all heavy cameras and stabilising devices. Cam actions are allowed if you have a ventral support, a pole or hand hold and if the camera is secured (strap). The risk of dropping these objects and causing an accident is not negligible.

The flight altitude depends on the weather conditions and in particular the instability of the air mass, but is limited by aviation regulations.
Very frequently our instructors exceed the altitude of 2000m above the Puy de Dôme by taking advantage of the thermals, these columns of air which rise due to their higher temperature than the surrounding air.
Sometimes during the year we even exceed 3000m offering a surreal spectacle of the Auvergne,
Air regulations limit the maximum height over most of the country to flight level FL 115, i.e. 11500 feet (3500 m) above sea level. This is moreover the case in the vicinity of the Puy de Dôme, on the other hand if one gets closer to Clermont-Ferrand, this authorized height drops to 1980m or 1680m and the flight is even forbidden over the agglomeration because it is an air volume reserved for civil aviation and the airport of Aulnat.



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