Discover Provence
In explorer mode in France
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The first few hours of our Explorer Tour are wet and exhausting. The rest of the weather outlook doesn't seem too good either: one after the other, the Atlantic low-pressure systems move towards Europe, bringing the infamous mistral and then clouds and rain again. Fortunately, these are only the forecasts on our cell phone screens and usually a difficult week turns out better than predicted at the beginning.
Once again, the rule proves to be true. From Gap, in the middle of Provence, the cloud cover opens up and a bright blue sky appears. However, the mistral blows us across the highway with a strong tailwind and for pessimists it's clear: it's not flying today.
But we know a small, well-protected flying area that often still flies when the mistral is moderate: Saint-Vincent-les-Forts. And lo and behold, we were already flying into the sunset on the first day. Not a bad start to the Explorer week!
In the following days, the changing forecasts are as constant as the current weather is unstable. Planning ahead is difficult, which forces us to be flexible and discover many flying areas. We fly in very varied areas every day. In the small and very pretty flying area of Les Richards to the north of Gap, we enjoy the view and leisurely flights, while to the south in the Saint André des Alps thermals, the clear mistral air is quite sporty. And in Saint Vincent les Forts, we spice up the hour-long soaring flights with a hike 'n fly and cross-country flight.
The absolute highlight in the middle of the week was the long limestone ledge above the small village of Moustiers. Both scenically and in terms of flying. The countless large vultures show us the tubes and fly along with us. The jump over the Verdon Gorge is breathtaking and along the limestone walls the air carries man and bird equally high. After a long day of flying, only Dirk and I are left in the air and we wait two hours in the cool air for the sun to set. Finally, the sun appears between the horizon and the band of clouds. In the golden light, we glide happily and fulfilled towards the landing site by the lake, definitely a flight for the top ten! The Cote de Boef in the restaurant, beaming faces and a cold beer round off the perfect day!
Many thanks also to the relaxed and very friendly group. Your wishes for flying areas, coupled with sporting daring and a lot of curiosity, made all the adventures possible. I had a lot of fun for a week and enjoyed every day.
The next trip to Provence is planned for the beginning of October 2025 and will soon be bookable online.
Bonne chance!
Ueli