“Haaan, a hot-air balloon, right there!” That’s pretty much everyone’s reaction to seeing a balloon in the sky. Even if you know the principle, the magic still works. In the end, flying in a hot-air balloon is a bit like taking a trip around the world: an experience to be had at least once in your life. For the less adventurous, admiring these giants of the air from the ground remains a suspended and unforgettable moment. This weekend, the Montgolfiades are waiting to take you up in the air!
37th edition of Montgolfiades at the summit
The Montgolfiades are back for another edition… at the summit. Just a stone’s throw from Chalon-sur-Saône, you’ll be able to watch this great aerial ballet. No fewer than 30 hot-air balloons are expected, piloted by enthusiasts from all over Europe, including Jacques-Antoine Besnard, world airship champion. Three disciplines will be represented: hot-air balloon, gas balloon and hot-air airship. And for those who dream of it, first flights will be offered(subject to favorable weather conditions).
For those who prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground, there will be plenty of entertainment on the programme, including concerts, kites, wooden games and a refreshment stand… in short, a festive, family-friendly weekend.
The hot-air balloon, a Rhône-Alpes invention from 1783
But who had the crazy idea of flying in a balloon? We have to go back to June 4, 1783, when the Montgolfier brothers launched the first hot-air balloon in Annonay, Ardèche. On September 19 of the same year, a rooster, a sheep and a duck tested the first manned flight at Versailles, before the eyes of Louis XVI – quite a program! Then, on October 19 1783, the first flight with a human passenger was finally realized. Man’s dream of soaring through the air had become reality!
📍 Prairie Saint-Nicolas, Châtenoy-en-Bresse, France
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