My hot-air balloon flight in the Loire castles | Blois Chambord

GONFLAGE Take part in every stage

In a field on the edge of a forest, north of Blois, we’re getting ready to experience our first hot-air balloon flight, and make a childhood dream come true. We have unfurled the balloon’s gigantic canvas on the ground, and Mickaël, our balloonist, first blows cold air into it with a large fan, then hot air from the burner.

The canvas lifts gently, and the balloon rises vertically, ready to welcome us. We take our places in the little wicker basket and gently leave the earth behind us. Driven by the winds, the balloon takes us beyond the foliage, revealing Blois and the river behind. The sound of the city is muffled, as if cushioned by a pillow of absorbent cotton. Weightless, we approach the historic heart of the royal city.

Balloon inflation, here at Chaumont-sur-Loire

Float along in the balloon, fly over the castles, skim the river in the early morning, through the mist and the rays of the newborn sun.

The royal château of Blois, the three bridges over the Loire and the cathedral, all superb in the low-angled light of this late summer afternoon, are revealed before our wide-open eyes…

Our balloon hovers over the Loire. For a moment, the basket skims the surface of the water – an extraordinary sensation! – before setting off again in the direction of the Russy forest.

We float in silence, time suspended. The basket flirts with the canopy.

Deer move peacefully along the edge of the forest, unaware of our presence. We fly over a castle where a large party is being held, the guests greeting us. Then we land, as if on a cloud, on the grounds of a winegrowing couple who invite us to share a few bubbles with them… The blazing sun sinks to the horizon, our feet are back on solid ground, but our heads are still hovering.

Did you know?

Gondolas are available for the mobility-impaired. They are equipped with side doors and a dedicated space in the basket for good visibility.

Our advice

Choose a morning flight.

It stings a little when you wake up, especially in midsummer, but the view is even more beautiful with the morning mist over the Loire and the rising sun.

Our webcam at Chaumont-sur-Loire

Your flight may be filmed!