Launch Site Flégère & Index Chamonix

Access

There is a frequent bus service from "les Mouilles" (MBC bar), nearby the Bois du Bouchet landing field to la Flégère

 

Launch Site Index

• GPS: N 45° 58’ 06.6” E 006° 52’ 33.4”
• Direction : south to East (light winds)
• Altitude : 2 350 m
• Vertical drop : 1 350 m
• Access : Flegere cablecar & Index chairlift, + 5 mins walk to take off situated  beneath the old lift station
or alternatively on the piste (not winter), 
• Site details/ equipment : windsock.

Flight conditions: the site is useable from 8am through to end of the morning.

Dangers / Difficulties:
• To the right out from take off there are the chairlift cables.
• Once the conditions have become thermic, good pilot skill is required. Once the wind at take off starts to come from the right, you are launching into the lee of the valley breeze / thermic activity & it can be very turbulent.
• Be aware that with West or North prevailing weather winds in excess of 20 kph at 2000m you are  flying in lee side conditions & can expect strong, turbulent conditions.
• The landing areas are upwind (against the valley wind) and are difficult to attain when the wind is strong.

Ability: supervised beginner (early morning) to XC pilot.

Variation: lower take off point (E – S facing) , situated on a corner of the piste ax 200 m below. This take off is useful when the prevailing wind prevents launch at Index or if clouds obscure the usual launch area.

 

Launch Site Flégère 

• Direction : South to East (light prevailing winds only)
• Altitude : 2 000 m
• Vertical drop : 950 m
• Access : Flégère cablecar , + 10 mins walk up the 4x4 trail to take off situated on the piste above the cable car station.
• Site details/ equipment : windsock.

• This take off is not available in the winter as it is used by skiers. 

Dangers / Difficulties:
• To the right out from take off there are the chairlift cables, Cable car cables ahead & to the left.•
• Once the conditions have become mildly thermic, good pilot skill is required. As the valey breeze develops, the site become increasingly gusty & turbulent. Be wary if the wind is not coming straight onto the take off. Avoid flying if the wind at take off is strong.

• The landing areas are upwind (against the valley wind) and are difficult to attain when the wind is strong.

Ability: supervised beginner (early morning) to XC pilot.

Landing field: Bois du Bouchet.
The landing field is not visible from launch. Be sure to visit the landing before going to take off. An emergency landing  field is available at Bois du Bouchet hang glider landing field.

Specific rules:
• The Bois du Bouchet paraglider & Clos du Savoy  fields are forbidden when there is snow on them (they become ski & XC ski pistes). Due to this the only available landing is the hang glider (Delta)  field at Bois du Bouchet (enclosed & turbulent) see the notice boards or local pilots for the exact dates of the restriction.
• Above the ridges behind & to the left of take off (N – N.E.) of launch, over flying at less than 300 m above ground level is forbidden. ( Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve).