France -4: (Laragne/ Chabre) Oraisons

Natural pool near Vilhosc

This day we wanted to fly Laragne (le Chabre), a famous mountain for HG. On the way up we passed the Gorge de Meouse, nowadays a pretty well known spot.

Gorge de Meouse

Pano looking North

Pano looking South

A few PG's were ready to lauch in the few good cycles coming from the south side and got up quickly very high. Later (when I was ready), the south cycles had stopped and a light NW wind was present, not good conditions for taking off in the afternoon. I tried once, but got trashed pretty badly...

a lucky one...

So we decided to search for a West facing side and drove to Oraisons

les Mees (on the way to Oraisons)

Oraisons is a pretty nice, although small side, where we soard in the evening breeze until the sun set.

France -3: Orcieres/ St.Jean-Montclar (North-wind)

For the next  2 days N-winds prevailed here, and there are only 2 sites good for this wind direction: Orcieres and St.Vincent-les-Forts (and the TO at St.Jean-Monclar). So on TUE we first did a little sight seeing to Champoleone, a small but wild valley and in the afternoon made a short flight at Orcieres. 

Champoleone

Orcieres -les Marches

Orcieres

Martin

WED we drove therefore to St.Vincent, respectively to St.Jean -Montclar, a site below the Dormillouse. But thermals were weak and we had to wait till 1600 in order to have some halfway decent conditions...

TO St.Jean-Montclar

St.Vincent-les-Forts (right side), Lac de Serre-Poncon

France -2: Sailplane flight

Monday morning I met Martin Graster at Sisteron AD (LFNS ?). We had met more than 10 years ago and also then he had taken me along for a flight in a sailplane (Duo Discus). He had chosen a very good day (actually the best so far this summer) and we flew for more than 7 hours. Turning point was the Col du Gd. St. Bernard on the Swiss border.

Track here

Martin

Col du Mont Cenis

Gran Paradiso

Mont Blanc (Südseite)

le Trainon (bei Sisteron)

France -1: (Mieussy) Allevard

On my way to Southern France I stopped first at Mieussey (the place, where paragliding 'began').
Unfortunately - according to the info received by a pilot, who had just landed - it was (too) turbulent, so I continued.

Mieussey

Next stop was at Allevard (just before Grenoble). I was lucky as shortly after my arrival the local school was driving to launch and they had one seat left in their car...

Lac d'Allevard

Unfortunately only a short flight was possible.

I continued along the Route Napoleon and found a nice place to stay near the Col de la Croix Haute.

Fiesch -3

Eggishorn

Another great day in Fiesch for those who wanted to fly far.
The wind situation had slightly improved (less east, but still north); flying at times was rather 'sporty'.
But as I didn't feel too well, I decided after 2 hours to head for the LZ...

Fiesch

LZ in Fiesch

PS: to yesterday's flight: even Michi Müller in the comment to his flight remarked, that he didn't like much the wind situation in the Goms yesterday.

Fiesch -2

Again a beautiful day here in Fiesch, correspondingly the number of pilots: I think even more than yesterday.
Luckily Fiesch offers enough different TO-places to accomodate such a number of pilots!

Unfortunately (contrary to yesterday) the wind situation had changed: east -wind, which made TO's a bit trickier and of course flying towards the 'Grimslepass' harder, especially below 3000m.

Münster aerodrome (sailplanes) at bottom center-right, looking east towards Grimselpass

LZ Ritzingen (Church)

As all indicators showed east (possibly increasing), I decided to land in Niederwald, as there the LZ is a bit closer to the railway station...

LZ Niederwald ( a top gallery/ tunnel)

Fiesch -1

Finally a few good looking days in a row. So I went to Fiesch, hoping to fly 3 (or even 4) days.

In the gondola I met Ennio, a good friend from Italy. 'Unfortunately' he is a hangie ;-:
but once in a while he paraglides as well (so actually he is biwingual). He wanted to fly 250k today, but I have not yet spoken to him after his flight.
It's a pity that we meet so rarely!

crossing towards Bellwald

Aletschglacier (left), Fiescherglacier (right)

near Bellalp, heading back towards Fiesch

I'm very happy with today's flight: good take-off; good landing (though a bit short) and the rest in between: just a big pleasure and fun.

My flight can be found here.

Arosa - lady slippers / golf / flight

Finally a summerday in Arosa!

It started of with a visit to the 'Isla' to search for and see the 'Lady Slipper' -orchids in full bloom...

 

...then a visit to the golf course: driving range and playing a few holes... 

Golf course

... and finally a flight from the 'Weisshorn'. Unfortunately I found the thermals to be weak and hard to center.

Fanas

Sorry for not having posted for such a long time, but flying opportunities this spring have been pretty scarce and furthermore I have been to Germany (Hamburg and Mecklenburgische Seenplatte) with Ruth for 3 weeks of sightseeing and boating...    >> pictures here

So after almost 2 months of not flying today offered a chance.
Together with Andy we went to Fanas (probably my 'mistake', as first we had wanted to go to Fiesch and after having studied the different forecast we (probably wrongly) switched to Fanas. We shall see tonight when today's flights have been uploaded.)

Andy

Anyway: the day looked pretty nice, but people were taking off rather late and had trouble to climb quickly to a good altitude for crossing over  to the 'Kreuz'.
So it actually turned on only after 1200. But I have been not patient enough and I departed Fanas with less than the 2700m min alt required for an easy arrival over Stels. Therefore I lacked the 100+m I didn't climb before starting my crossing :-((
So promptly I paid for my mistake as arrived too low and wasn't able to climb up again...

Andy

 So quickIy had to land in Schiers (at least close to my car...)

LZ in Schiers

Flight can be found here :-((

Bassano

On my drive back home I could make a short flight at Bassano del Grappa.

PG TO (below), HG TO (upper left)

HG setup area and TO (upper center)

San Simeone

On Wednesday Marco took me to Monte San Simeone, a site I've not flown before.
The access is via a steep and narrow winding road, built during WW2 (?).
Nice launch with a great views towards Gemona/ LZ/ Tagliamento.
Unfortunately the conditions have been rather week..

Road to TO

looking towards Guarnan/ LZ/ Gemona/ Tagliamento

launch

(large) LZ in foreground; Mte San Simeone in Back

To finish off my short tript to Friuli, Nicole, Arduino,Marco and Alberto then invited me for a great dinner at the Trattoria Belvedere in Tarcento - again many thanks, as well as for your company!