Frequently Asked Questions
When to fly?
There is no ideal season for hot air ballooning. The only factor that matters is the weather conditions on the day you visit us. We fly less in winter mainly because the takeoff and landing sites can be very muddy or even waterlogged. During the hot summer months, we strongly recommend morning flights, which are much cooler and more pleasant.
Flights take place at dawn or dusk to avoid turbulence that could be dangerous for hot air ballooning. For technical reasons, we take off no later than one hour after sunrise or two hours before sunset. For flight safety reasons, the pilot will not wait for latecomers. Schedules therefore vary depending on the season.
The pilot needs calm weather conditions to properly control the hot air balloon. These stable air conditions only occur at sunrise and sunset, when the sun does not heat the earth too much, creating sometimes violent turbulence. Fortunately, dawn and dusk offer often exceptional light, mist, and colors.
You will fly for approximately one hour. The pilot must land the balloon in a field or on a path where it can be folded up and retrieved without any problems. If, after 50 minutes in the air, a suitable landing site becomes available, the pilot will decide to land, especially if he has not spotted any other suitable locations along the rest of the route. The flight may also last 1 hour and 10 minutes if the pilot cannot find a suitable location before then. However, allow 3 hours for the entire experience, including inflation, flight, landing, and packing away the equipment, a toast with the balloonists, and the return to the meeting point in a 4x4.
Who can fly?
Yes, the minimum age imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority is 6 years old. So be patient! However, there is no maximum age. Currently, a centenarian holds the record for the oldest passenger carried by our company, as you only need to be able to stand in the gondola for about an hour and be in good health. Passengers with limited mobility or who are frail following an operation or illness may prefer the morning flight, as conditions are optimal for a smooth takeoff and landing.
There are no medical contraindications for traveling in a balloon. However, as your safety is our priority, we do have some reservations about passengers who have recently undergone surgery and pregnant women.
People with back, hip, or knee problems, or who have a prosthesis or a physical or mental disability, must inform the office when making their reservation. If you have any doubts, please consult your doctor.
Anyone who discloses a medical condition upon boarding will not be allowed on board without a medical certificate of fitness. Their ticket will be considered used.
Où est-ce qu'on se retrouve ?
We meet at our reception office located in the parking lot by the river near the pharmacy in Beynac-et-Cazenac, 6 miles southwest of Sarlat. Voir le plan sur Google map
The meeting time will be communicated to you on the day itself before 4 p.m. for an evening flight, or the evening before for a morning flight. To find out the meeting time, call us on +33 (0)6 71 14 34 96 and, above all, be on time!
Generally speaking, we ask our passengers to arrive 1 hour and 15 minutes before takeoff for evening flights and 45 minutes before takeoff for morning flights. The exact meeting time will be communicated to you on the day of departure before 4 p.m. for evening flights, or the evening before for morning flights. In order to take advantage of these fairly precise flight slots, we thank you for your punctuality.
From our reception office, we will take you in our Land Rover 4x4s to one of our takeoff areas, carefully selected by our pilots. All of our takeoff sites are located in areas with listed villages and castles. In other words, the show begins even before takeoff!
To meet specific requests (group flights, exclusive flights, etc.), we can also take off from your location if the terrain is suitable.
The direction of the hot air balloon depends on the wind direction, and it is difficult, if not impossible, for us to determine a landing site in advance. As a general rule, the pilot decides to land preferably sheltered from the wind in a closely cropped meadow, without livestock or crops, far from power lines, and easily accessible for the recovery vehicle.
The pilot is in radio contact with a crew member on the ground who is coming to pick us up with the 4x4 and the hot air balloon trailer in the field where we landed.
The weather
Calm weather conditions are essential for hot air ballooning: light winds, no rain or risk of storms, and moderate temperatures are the necessary conditions.
There are several possible reasons: The wind is too strong... Above 20 km/h, there is too much turbulence. The flight would be bumpy and too risky. Similarly, if it is too hot (above 30°C at takeoff), the balloon will have to be overheated beyond its limits, which could damage the balloon and also affect the comfort of the passengers on board. A storm forming in the area or nearby may force us to cancel the flight. Finally, for morning flights, the humidity in the Dordogne Valley can create wonderful fog, which can also lead to cancellation if it is thicker than the hilltops. Blue skies are never a guarantee of flight...
The day before the flight, passengers will contact our team, noting that the pilot is the only person authorized to decide whether to fly. Weather conditions can sometimes be unpredictable, and although the six weather models we consult continuously are very accurate, they can sometimes be unreliable...
My ticket
Unfortunately, this is not possible. If the pilot considers the weather conditions suitable for the flight, it will proceed. Our flights take place when the air is stable, without precipitation, and with calm winds. Sunshine or a clear blue sky do not guarantee a better quality flight, and a few small clouds or mists often enhance the aesthetic appeal of the ride.
No problem, you can reschedule your flight up to 48 hours before its date. We consider the ticket used for any cancellation less than 48 hours before the flight date or for any passenger who does not show up at the meeting point.
No problem, you can purchase a 12-month validity extension for your ticket.
Due to the logistics required to welcome you and the hourly operating cost of a hot air balloon, it is not possible to lower our prices without compromising the quality of your flight. One solution, experimented with by some companies, is to offer baskets with 16 or 32 seats. This solution was rejected by us, and we prefer the conviviality of a smaller basket.
You are covered under aerial civil liability for paid transport, up to a ceiling compliant with current regulations (see general terms and conditions of sale).
Montgolfière & Châteaux is approved for public transport by the DGAC and holds an operating license.
In the hot air balloon
We have baskets with a capacity of 2 to 10 passengers.
Depending on the number of registered people on the day of the flight, the temperature, and the weight of the passengers, we will deploy one, two, or three balloons to meet the needs of the moment. If you wish to fly privately, you can charter the hot air balloon.
No, because the baskets are not equipped with seats. All passengers stand throughout the flight, leaning against the edges of the basket.
No, because the temperature is roughly the same as on the ground, and one must not forget the heat generated by the burners. There is no perceived wind because the balloon moves at the speed of the wind.
We recommend casual attire, avoiding synthetic materials. In both summer and winter, trousers are mandatory, and good 'all-terrain' shoes will be useful in case of landing on uneven ground. Do not forget waterproof boots or shoes for morning flights, as there is often dew in the fields (especially in spring and autumn). If you have not packed this type of equipment, do not hesitate to bring a spare pair of shoes and socks. A head covering is advisable because the burner is not far and generates significant heat, especially for evening flights in summer. Finally, an extra layer of clothing for cooler moments on the ground, before and after the flight.
You can, of course, bring a camera or a photographic device during your outing. It is even advisable to bring them to capture the moments you will witness during the journey. However, as the landing can be dynamic, Montgolfière & Châteaux disclaims all responsibility in case of damage.
Contrary to many misconceptions, you will not experience vertigo in a hot air balloon. The balloon is completely detached from the ground, and like electricity, vertigo needs a conductor!
No, because the hot air balloon flies in very calm aerological conditions; there are no strong sensations, and the basket does not sway.
A hot air balloon is a suspended air bubble drifting with the winds. Therefore, the wind and only the wind determines our trajectory; this is why we choose the most appropriate take-off location at the last moment to best allow you to discover the Valley of the Châteaux. This is the essential reason why Montgolfière & Châteaux has several launch platforms located at the four cardinal points or in the center of the valley, thus ensuring an overflight of the most remarkable sites.
The hot air balloon flight
The pilot holds a hot air balloon pilot's license, which is renewed every 2 years by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and is also subject to an annual competency check.
A hot air balloon is not steered; it drifts with the wind. However, the atmosphere is composed of several layers of wind superimposed on each other like a mille-feuille, with varying thickness, speed, and direction. It is up to the pilot to choose the wind layer, positioning the balloon by ascending or descending to reach the desired layer that moves in the intended direction.
During our flights, we operate between 150 and 2000 meters, but we prioritize low-altitude flights to fully enjoy the scenery. The air mass is never the same, and the pilot ascends or descends in search of a wind whose speed and direction sometimes differ depending on the altitude. Flights follow one another but are never identical. Therefore, we must adapt daily to meteorological conditions and, in some areas, to aeronautical regulations that may impose different flight levels.
Statistics prove that hot air ballooning is one of the safest aerial sports. Safety is our top priority, and we make no compromises on this matter.
The main risk is that the flight may not be confirmed due to weather, as our pilots, who constantly and rigorously monitor weather developments, ensure that you fly in the best possible conditions. This is why sometimes a flight cancellation occurs on site, even at the last minute... As weather is not an infallible science, the slightest parameter presenting a doubt requires the pilot to make a sometimes radical decision. The most common risk in our activity is getting hurt while getting in or out of the basket or vehicle.
Propane to fuel the burner that heats the air inside the envelope.
