Thermal paragliding & Init-Cross courses
These two courses are grouped together on the same page, as they are often aimed at the same public of paragliders wishing to progress. The instructors adapt to the level of the group in order to offer a range of exercises enabling them to Familiarise yourself with the use of heaters.
THERMAL TRAINING: Meet your first thermals...
Do you fly paragliders alone? Would you like to climb to the top of the jar?
Perfecting your paragliding skills involves reading and understanding the air massand see how you can use it. Come and learn how to use your environment to extend your flights!
The Grands Espaces school will guide you through your first ascents, so that you can enjoy them safely. Your mission: decipher the conditions of the day, validate the choice of site, roll up and refine the thermal... During this course, we won't hesitate to show you other free flying sites to sharpen your analytical skills.
Prerequisites :
- Avoir le niveau Brevet de Pilote Initial
- Savoir décoller dos voile & face-voile
- Avoir déjà volé de façon autonome
- Être à l’aise avec la gestion des mouvements de tangage/roulis
- Être autonome en conditions calmes sur sites variés
On the programme:
Full-day training, from 8.30am to 5pm (approx.), mainly from Monday to Friday. This course is aimed at experienced pilots who have acquired some basic autonomy (take-off/landing).
We'll meet at our school in the morning to check everyone's licences and equipment, fit you out if necessary, adjust the radios, draw up the programme, and then off we go to set up!
The objectives of this course :
- Learn to analyse the conditions of the day
- Choice and adaptation to different flight sites
- Exploiting dynamic and thermal lift
- Learn to roll up, to centre the thermal well, to "crack" in transition
- Work on your active piloting with the help of the instructor
- Change the site!
- Notions of aerology, a hint of mechaflight applied to piloting, regulations...
INIT'CROSS COURSE: want to go further, get out of the box?
This course is for you! Ceiling, transitions, hang-upand driving will be on the programme all week.
The following terms are used Introduction to Crossthe fact of join two well-known free-flight sites I'm starting to understand thermalling, but I don't dare venture far from my favourite landing". That's often what prompts trainees to come and see us. That's why we've created a course just for you! On this type of course, we're going to take your paragliding progress up a notch, and give you the tools to achieve your first Cross.
An Init' Cross course is also about discovering what you can and can't do on a Cross flight in a paraglider. In the morning, we work with you on reading the weather forecast. Based on this, we offer you simple technical courses at first, then complex ones at a later stage, in order to develop your knowledge in terms of feasibility and commitment. The paragliding flights will take place at flying sites in and around Annecy. Pre-requisites: you must have completed around a hundred solo flights and be able to take off and land independently if possible.
Prerequisites :
- Avoir le niveau Brevet de Pilote Initial
- Gérer les déco dos voile & face-voile
- Etre autonome au décollage et à l’atterrissage
- Etre autonome en conditions calmes sur sites variés
- Savoir analyser les conditions aérologiques
On the programme:
Full day training, from 8.30am to 6pm (approx.)
- Site reading
- Weather analysis, forecasting, mapping, GPS...
- How to centre the thermal well, follow it,
- Analyse the flight plan and make the right decisions.
- Your first transitions!
- Improvise a landing outside the official field.
- Study and use of equipment, radio, alitvario, gps .....
Prices stages 2025 Thermique & Init’Cross |
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| FORMULA | GEAR INCL. | OWN GEAR |
| 5-day course | 770€ | -7% |
| 2-day course | 340€ | -7% |
| 1 day course | 170€ | -7% |
| BP Assessment Day | 170€ | -7% |
| 10-day package (non-consecutive) | 1 490€ | -7% |
| 5-day package (non-consecutive) | 790€ | -7% |
| Student or Group discount (5 people minimum per course) | -10% | -10% |
FAQ paragliding courses :
You can go paragliding from 5 years 6 years. What's important is that the child is willing to take part in this activity and weighs at least 20kg. (It's worth bearing in mind, however, that the child will probably have to remain alone in the shuttle without his or her parents for the time it takes to climb to take-off). We have a specially adapted flight formula for children: the Loupiot paragliding flight . This type of flight takes place in the mild conditions of the morning...
For seniors, there's no real age limit; you just need to be able to run a few metres to take off and land.
This activity does not require no prerequisites Our first paragliding flights are for everyone: the curious, children, couples or families. All our instructors have solid trainingwith a wealth of experience. They will share with you the magic of free flight in complete safety. You can even take off at the same time, for an unforgettable experience! Our school and our team professional are present all year round to show you the lake from the air.
The gift vouchers for first paragliding flights visit order online. We've produced a lovely gift card that you can personalise and which will be sent to you by post. by post to the postal address of your choice, once payment has been validated.
Depending on the urgency of the event, you can also choose a digital transmissionby e-mail. A PDF will then be sent to you.
Vouchers are not nominative and are valid for one year.
- Because our school has been around since paragliding was first invented one of the first in France ! Unlike many summer venues, we are open all year round.
- For our education tailor-made: that's our core business! Our courses cater for all levels: from beginners to experienced pilots, we organise tailored courses, staggered between March and November. Thanks to the expert advice of our experienced instructors, you'll be able to progress safely in your paragliding and continue to develop your skills in this incredibly exciting sport. To achieve your first autonomy, the early thermals. The first transitions, cross-country, SIV courseWe'll be there for you.
- Because of our privileged geographical position: a magnificent training slope 800m above sea level, two take-off areas overlooking Lake Annecy, our training centre right opposite the landing area, gentle air conditions offering us good flight potential, the mystical beauty of the mountains, the proximity of nature, and above all because we have Gaël... (aka "Chaps").
- We also offer the possibility of making tandem flights all year round. Paragliding is accessible to everyone! Our flying site offers an incredible view of Lake Annecy and the surrounding area... Even without fairy dust, you'll get an eyeful...
- Our paragliding shop is one of the biggest TEST CENTER of France, and offers a wide choice of gliders and harnesses to equip you. Advance, Gin Glider, Sup'Air, Néo, Skywalk, Ozone, 777, Phi, Kortel and many others have placed their trust in us and have been our partners for many years.
Don't hesitate to take the plunge and join us for an unforgettable experience!
To satisfy all tastes, we offer a range of packages for first paragliding flights in Annecy:
- Discover paragliding takes place in the morning, for a gentle experience (called "VOL LOUPIOT" for children). It's aimed at the curious, those who just want to get a taste of the experience, young children or people prone to motion sickness.
- The ASCENDANCE paragliding flight is organised as soon as the first thermals are in place, at around 1pm, to start gaining altitude and extend the trip. This is the main flight, the one that gives the full dimension of a great paragliding flight.
- The PRESTIGE paragliding flight will take place in the middle of the afternoon, to make the most of the air mass and set off on a magnificent tour of the mountains. An ambitious flight for those who want to extend the trip and go even further.
- CROSS paragliding flight can also be done in the middle of the afternoon, for maximum height and thrills. It is recommended that you have already completed an Ascendance flight beforehand.
We fly all day longWe also adapt our packages to the air conditions. For example, short flights are scheduled in the morning (Baptêmes Loupiot/ Découverte), when the air is soft and stable, ideal for featherweights. Around midday, the updrafts start to build: it's the long-awaited moment for the longer flights (Ascendance)! We'll then be able to play around in the thermals and take you on a magnificent aerial tour overlooking Lake Annecy! We'll wait until the middle of the day to offer you more demanding paragliding flights (Prestige/Cross/Cross). Cross ++). The thermals will then be strong enough to allow us to get even higher...
If you feel like it, you can take your emotions to the next level by asking your pilot to perform acrobatic curves 🙂 We don't offer a specifically 'acrobatic' first flight, but depending on the conditions and your wishes, we'll be delighted to introduce you to aerobatics. Tonic curves will be performed on request, and never imposed. There's no extra cost involved, and the adrenalin rush is immediate!
