The 42nd hot air balloon gathering began on Friday from Cussac-sur-Loire. There are still three flights left until Sunday to take advantage of these balloons above Puy-en-Velay.
Friday morning, 25 balloonists took their first Off flight from Goudet. With a southerly wind, they hurtled down into the Loire Valley, flew over the Ponot basin and its emblematic monuments to land delicately in the countryside around Polignac.
Friday, the information was made official on the Montgolfière en Velay website for a first official departure from Cussac-sur-Loire, below the town, on the banks of the Loire.
The public was there first and eagerly awaited these always attractive crews.
In a large meadow, the balloonists fanned out and inflated their sails, first with large fans, then with hot air from the burners.
In a few dozen minutes, each balloon flew into the sky. Some takeoffs seemed more delicate and some bodies shook. The show would last about an hour and the hot air balloons would land again north of Puy, between Polignac and Lavoûte-sur-Loire.
Ten takeoff sites
A tenth takeoff site has been added and validated by the prefecture. This is the former restaurant l'Electrique in Vals-près-Le Puy, on the road to Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison.
The 9 usual take-off sites are Arlempdes Castle (Arlempdes / Vielprat), Lac du Bouchet (Cayres / Le Bouchet St Nicolas), Cussac-sur-Loire (banks of the Loire on the Brives side), Coubon (Le Chambon), the castle of Polignac, Saint-Paulien (Le Versonne), the castle of Saint-Vidal, Saint-Vincent (Le Breuil) and Vorey (Brigols).
The flight director chooses the site according to the weather situation, depending on the direction and strength of the wind.
The information is notified at the last moment on the website www.mev43.fr
Three more flights by Sunday
Saturday November 9 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Saturday November 9 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday November 10 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Flights are carried out subject to weather conditions
