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 :
Every paraglider has to compulsory third-party insurance which covers any damage caused to others. As an EFVL-FFVL approved school, our students must also take out a licence, which includes this compulsory insurance. This insurance is valid throughout the calendar year, and is renewed in the autumn.
>> SIMPLIFIED VERSION for STAGE INITIATION
There are several options available to you, depending on how much you practice:
- FFVL student insurance for 9 days : Ideal for your first paragliding course, you will only be covered in a FFVL-approved school. This insurance will not cover you if you wish to fly solo, i.e. outside a paragliding school. Days can be taken non-consecutively.
- FFVL annual student insurance : affordable annual package, which only covers you when you are supervised by an FFVL structure. However, if you want to fly on your own during the year, you can top up your cover and take out annual "Flying" insurance.
- FFVL "First-time licence holder" insurance The FFVL is offering you a special price for your very first annual licence. Obviously not renewable. You'll be insured all year round, for solo or supervised flights.
- FFVL "Flying" insurance: This is the classic annual insurance for independent pilots.
Note: each time you take out a licence, you will need to choose a paragliding club to join. Take a paragliding club near you so you can play your part!
A driving course calls for calm and concentration, as it will take you out of your comfort zone... For greater peace of mind during briefings and debriefings, we have a room specially dedicated to SIV and Pilotage courses in the Alérions5 minutes from our paragliding school.
THE ALERIONS-> 496 route de Bluffy - 74290 Talloires
This is where we generally meet up at 8 a.m. (Park in the south car park, on the lake side, see photo). If the weather deteriorates in the afternoon, the meeting point will be brought forward to 7am.
Flights will depart exclusively from La ForclazA dedicated shuttle bus runs between the take-off/landing area and the centre. A shuttle dedicated to the course provides the link between the take-off/landing area and the centre.
Accommodation
Below is a list of accommodation close to our paragliding school in Talloires. The list is not exhaustive ... you can choose between campsites, hotels, gites, ...
- La Chavanne
- Camping l'Horizon
- The Alerions
- Flower Pavilion
- Gîtes de France
- Gîte de Glaise
- Campsite le clos Don Jean
- Florimontane
- Camping Champs Fleuris
- St John's Meadow
- Le Clos Marcel ****
- 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!
The price of your driving course includes :
- supervision by 2 state-qualified instructors
- the loan of a waistcoat and an earpiece
- images and videos of your flight sessions (bring a USB or SD key to recover your images)
- a boat for recovery
- shuttle journeys
Your enrolment will only be confirmed after payment of a deposit. 100 deposit, Otherwise, you will be put on the waiting list and your place will not be guaranteed. This deposit will be refunded in full if the SIV course is cancelled by the Les Grands Espaces schoolThis is particularly true in the event of bad weather. However, there will be no refund in the event of cancellation on your part. less than 30 days before the course. If you cancel less than 7 days before the course, you will be billed in full.
A typical day on an SIV course normally includes a briefing, 3 flights and a debriefing.
The day will be invoiced in full if 2 or 3 flights are made. In the event that only 1 flight is made due to bad weather and on the instructor's decision, the day will be invoiced with a reduction of 50%. If no flight is made due to bad weather, but if the briefing has been given and the course equipment has been used (shuttle to take-off, boat set-up, etc.), a minimum charge of €50 will be billed.
No charge will be made for a day cancelled by the instructors on the morning of the course due to bad weather.
