Hot air ballooning has been our passion for 15 years. We've had many memorable vacations and met many memorable people in our pursuit of sport and travel. On a recent trip to France (sans balloon) my wife and I thought it would be fun to trace the history of our sport.
It was early November and we arrived
in Paris under cloudy, misty skies. A friend had told us a balloon museum
at an airport near Paris and it was here we decided to begin our "hot
air tour." As it turned out, the museum is actually the French Air
and Space Museum located North of Paris at the Le Bourget Airfield. This
seemed a fitting place for an aviation museum as Charles Lindbergh landed
here after his historic trans-Atlantic flight.
Inside you're met with model replicas of balloons and fabulous displays of original balloon equipment, jewelry, porcelain, object d'arts and more. You begin with the history of balloons and the perceived principles of flight by balloon. You see where the Montgolfiere brothers first experimented with paper balloons. You follow the track of the 25 minute, 10 kilometer flight over Paris on November 21, 1783. This was the first manned flight and began at the site where the Eiffel Tower was to be built and, at a height of 1000 meters, traveled to the side of town.
You're soon taken to 1799, as balloons were used for military observation. Then on to 1821, when the less-expensive and less-explosive town gas replaced hydrogen. It was at this time that ballooning became more practical as a sport. By the 1850's the race course at the Paris Hippodrome became a showplace for events featuring balloon ascensions.
During this time balloons found their way into the everyday life of the French aristocracy as well. Ivory carved boxes, medallions, rings, necklaces and more carried stylized images of balloons. Commemorative plates were created and furniture and clothing were designed with ballooning themes. Ballooning had obviously captured the imaginations of the people.
With a better understanding of
ballooning's origins we next headed South to meet up with friends in Lyon.
There was a chance of a balloon flight the next morning in Annonay, the
town where brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfiere got their start. A phone
call in the morning told of high winds so all flights had been cancelled.
No matter. We still wanted to see this historic village. Upon arrival we
found the village now a thriving city of 53,000.
We made our way to the town square where the first launch took place on June 4, 1783. We visited with a local pilot who told us a little more history on the area and about what turned out to be a most unique and well-stocked gift shop located on the square. He also told us of a small balloon event taking place that very weekend to the Southwest in the town of Le Puy en Velay.
In hopes of at least watching balloons floating over this beautiful area, we headed out. It was only about 40 miles but took 90 minutes on small roads twisting higher into the mountains. By 3 p.m. we saw a balloon in the distance, maybe 25 kilometers away and we knew we were close. We found the launch field in a valley surrounded by the green hills and mountains of the department or county called the Haute-Loire.
Balloons were beginning to inflate
and launch. Our assistance was welcomed by many of the international teams
and we were just happy to be able to help in any way. Twenty-nine balloons
flew that afternoon. As we watched the last balloon disappear on the horizon
we turned to see the original balloon we sighted on our arrival coming towards
us.
The balloon turned out to be a home-built 5/6 flown by Arnaud Deramecourt. He was in the process of setting a new French duration record of five hours and five minutes. The day prior he had set the French altitude record of 5,600 meters in the same balloon. Now, just over five hours later and having covered more than 50 miles, Deramecourt settled to the ground within 100 meters of where he took off. We wondered if this wasn't also an accuracy record.
The next morning the balloons launched from Chadrac, just North of Le Puy. It was minus six degrees Celsius. Clear, blue skies. A temperature of plus ten degrees welcomed pilots at a height of 500 meters.
As we left the ground the beauty of the Auvergne region unfolded. With the snowy peaks of the Alps as our backdrop we floated over farms, the hilltop ruins of ancient castles and the awesome grandeur of the Loire River Gorge.
Our landings was met by some of the townspeople of Retournac. They kept their cows away while we overturned the basket to use as a table. On this makeshift surface was spread several bottles of rouge and Muscat wines along with croissants and more provided by our hosts. Our landing on their farm was as unique for them as this flight was to us.
The next morning we sadly said our good-byes to the fabulous people and wonderful town we had just met. Then we were off to Normandy at 150-mph via the French TGV fast train passing the mountains near Le Puy, the farmlands South of Paris and arriving in the hilly green land that is Normandy in only five hours.
Our purpose in this area was three fold. First a visit to Mont Saint-Michel, the protected and isolated village/cathedral dedicated in 708 AD to the Archangel Michael. The Mont sits off the North coast and surrounded by the waters of the Bay of Saint Michel. Secondly, for personal reasons, we had to visit the thought-provoking area along the D-Day beaches from Caen to Aromanches and on to Omaha and Utah beaches.
Our third reason for visiting
Normandy was to stop and tour the Balloon Museum located in the Balleroy
chateau of the late Malcolm S. Forbes. Dominating the countryside, the chateau
is still owned by the Forbes family. Restoration and refurbishment continues
under the direction of his four sons. The Chateau was built between 1626
and 1636, and the general plan of the town and architecture of the castle
inspired the later building at Versailles outside of Paris.
The museum is housed on two levels in the former stable. It not only houses historic ballooning memorabilia but also the historic items amassed by Forbes from the incredible life he shared with ballooning. The caretaker, Madam Annick Lair is extremely helpful, a wealth of information and a most gracious hostess.
The Chateau at Balleroy and the adjacent museum should be on your "must see" list should you come to France in the future. Small hotels and B&B's are easily found and the lamb, seafood and Calvadoes are excellent.
Chateau de Balleroy and the Musee des Ballons
Open all year by reservation for groups of 20
or more. Individual tours are available from March 15 to October 15, from
9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Adults are 37 francs (under $7) and
kids are 32 francs. Contact Madam Annick Lair. Telephone 02-31-21-60-61
or fax 02-31-21-51-77.
Annonay
Office of Tourism, Place des Cordeliers, Telephone
04-75-33-24-51, fax 04-75-32-47-79.
AeroShop Gifts, 3 Place des Cordeliers, Telephone 04-75-69-70-00, fax 04-75-67-66-56.
Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace (Air & Space Museum)
Aeroport de Paris - Le Bourget, BP 173 - 93352
Le Bourget Cedex, France, Telephone 01-49-92-71-71, fax 01-49-92-70-62.
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (6 p.m. during the Summer).
Ballooning in Le Puy en Velay & Chadrac:
Montgolfiere en Velay, Telephone 04-71-02-73-18.
