A hot air balloon flight over Annecy will allow you to discover the magnificent panorama of Annecy, its lake and the mountains that surround it. It is a unique experience between silence and the magic of the natural setting. How is this balloon flight organised and how do you choose your balloonist?
How does a hot air balloon work?
On 4 June 1783, the brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne de Montgolfier made the first flight of an aerostat equipped with an envelope inflated with hot air. The balloon had no passenger and rose to an altitude of 1,000 metres in the sky over Annonay in the Ardèche.
Ballooning requires an envelope, the balloon, a burner to heat the air and gas to feed the burner. The principle is simple: the more you heat, the higher you go, otherwise you come down. The balloon evolves according to the direction of the wind, we cannot direct it. The pilot knows the strength and direction of the wind and can therefore choose a trajectory.
In summer, flights take place in the early morning from 5:00 to 9:00 am before the vertical currents form and in the evening from 6:00 to 7:00 pm when these winds diminish in intensity. The balloon flies for 1 hour and covers 10 to 20 kilometres.
The preparation of the balloon is done by the pilot and his team, we advise you to participate, it is a unique experience. The take-off site in a meadow must be large enough and free of any obstacles. Fans inflate the balloon with cold air within 5 minutes, then the burners take over. The air heats up and expands, the envelope rises from the ground and the balloon takes off.
Each balloon flight is unique because the atmospheric conditions are different and the balloon never lands from where it takes off. By playing with the burner and the valve that makes the balloon descend, the pilot orients the balloon.
The landing must be in an open area and close to a road so that the balloon and basket can be retrieved. If the wind is strong, it can be quite sporty and the crew members may be called upon. The ground crew follows the balloon to pick you up.
Hot air balloon companies in Annecy
We propose you a selection of ballooning companies which know very well the Annecy area to propose you a magic flight.
- Takamaka: This company organises outdoor activities in Annecy. Bubu’s red balloon is well known by the inhabitants of Annecy. The take-off is done from Doussard, Talloires or Annecy-le-vieux depending on the weather. You will be asked to help prepare and store the balloon. This balloon can accommodate a maximum of 4 people. Several formulas are proposed: the first flight, the flight for lovers, the flight at sunset.
- La Compagnie des Ballons: During one hour you participate in the preparation of the take-off, the flight lasts from 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, the landing is followed by a toast with the pilot and the return is done by 4×4. This last stage also takes an hour. The offers: Discovery flight around Lake Annecy, Discovery flight in a 3, 5 or seat gondola from Annecy or La Clusaz, Flight ready to go for one person with a reduced rate.
- Delta Évasion Annecy: For flights from Talloires-Montmin with different formulas : Full of eyes and Prestige.
- Activ Annecy: This company offers discovery flights and VIP flights for 3 to 8 passengers. The children can go on board from 1,20 meter.
These companies propose a take-off in a meadow near Talloires, a flight over the magnificent translucent lake of Annecy and a soft landing in a meadow of the Annecy agglomeration. An aperitif will bring the adventure to a close. In the balloon, a pilot guides your flight and at take-off and landing, team members are present with a 4 x 4.
For more motor sport sensations, you can go karting in Annecy.
