Our Story
Who We Are?
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Loire Montgolfières - A family business with expertise in hot-air ballooning in the Loire Valley
Loire Montgolfières is a family-run business, founded by passionate pilots with over 10,000 hours of hot-air ballooning experience and more than 60 years of accumulated experience in France and around the world. We organize your flight in partnership with a certified air operator, to guarantee safety, authenticity and comfort.
Inspired by the praise and unforgettable memories shared by our passengers, we created Loire Montgolfières to offer you a unique ballooning experience over the chateaux and vineyards of the Loire Valley. We combine adventure, intimacy, serenity and local produce tasting, for an unforgettable moment in the heart of UNESCO-listed landscapes.
Loire Montgolfières - Hot-air balloon flights over the castles and vineyards of the Loire
Based in Blois, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Loire Valley, Loire Montgolfières organizes your hot-air balloon flight in partnership with an authorized air operator. Fly over the emblematic châteaux of Chenonceau, Amboise, Chaumont-sur-Loire, Cheverny, Chambord, Blois and Montrichard, as well as the vineyards and natural landscapes for which the region is famous.
Treat yourself to a unique hot-air ballooning experience in the Loire Valley: admire the sunrise, capture breathtaking views, and create unforgettable memories. Our flights are perfect for couples, families, groups and special occasions.
Book your hot-air balloon flight over the chateaux of the Loire Valley today and experience an authentic adventure combining history, nature and emotion.
What We Offer
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Ticket Validity
Tickets valid for 24 months for maximum flexibility.
Family Business
We're a family business dedicated to making every flight special.
Free In-Flight
Photos
Capture your adventure with snapshots taken by our GoPro camera during the flight.
Various Flight
Options
Choose from our different flight options: Decouvérte, VIP, Vista (basket with seats), Exclusif.
Flight Certificate Presentation
Receive a certificate to commemorate your adventure in the skies.
Bilingual
Pilots
Our pilots speak French and English, ensuring a smooth experience for all our passengers.
Cellar Visit and Tasting
Enhance your experience with a cellar visit followed by a tasting session.
Valid 7 Days a Week, April to October
Our flights are available every day of the week from April to October.
Exceptional Pilots
Our 3 pilots have over 10,000 flight hours and 60 years of combined experience across 4 continents.
Vista Basket
Approved for passengers with reduced mobility, this basket offers an exceptional experience.
Meet Your Pilots
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Richard
Richard, with 15 years of experience flying over the Loire Valley and over 3000 hours of flight experience, is also an experienced hot air balloon instructor.
He has explored exotic lands, flying over iconic sites such as Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, the Pink City of Jaipur, the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra, India, as well as the breathtaking horizons of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
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Paco
Paco, with a total of more than 4,500 flight hours, began his career at the tender age of 16, moved by the sight of a hot air balloon gliding in the skies.
30 years have passed since this first wonder, and his passion has continued to grow, tinged with a deep fascination for heights and the infinity of the sky.
Paco has spent more time in the air than on land, making him a true hot air ballooning expert.
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Nicholas
Nicholas, affectionately known as Nick, is our seasoned hot air balloon pilot with a heart as warm and generous as Santa Claus. With thirty-four years of experience as a professional pilot, Nick has flown the skies in various roles.
From 2004 to 2021, he was a captain on the A380 for Emirates Airline, navigating the world.
He began his hot air ballooning adventure in Burgundy and with Governors' balloon safaris, flying over the magnificent landscapes of central France and the Maasai Mara.
With Nick at the helm, every hot air balloon flight becomes a magical adventure, imbued with his passion for flying and his dedication to providing unforgettable experiences.
Our Commitment
At Loire Montgolfièreswe offer much more than a simple hot-air balloon flight over the Loire Valley .
In partnership with a certified air operator , we organize for you a memorable journey that goes beyond the ordinary. Let yourself be carried over UNESCO World Heritage landscapes, discover your inner explorer and awaken all your senses as you soar over the châteaux, vineyards and rivers that shape the magic of the Loire.
Safety and Expertise
Your safety is our main concern. We only recruit experienced pilots with thousands of flight hours. We adhere to the highest industry standards and work closely with local authorities to ensure that your trip is not only impressive, but also as safe as can be.
We are proud to be the first company in the Loire Valley to introduce seat belts into the equipment we use, setting a new standard for hot air balloon safety. Although seat belts are not mandatory, we are at the forefront of this transition and some of our baskets are already equipped with this feature.
In addition, all our pilots and crew members have been trained in first aid and fire fighting.
At Loire Montgolfières, 0.5% of our revenue is dedicated to carbon dioxide removal
At Loire Montgolfières, we're proud to be one of the few companies in Europe to organize hot-air balloon flights with a licensed air operator, while fully committing ourselves to the fight against climate change.
We dedicate 0.5% of our revenue to carbon dioxide removal because we strongly believe this action is essential to counteract global warming and protect our planet. We recognize the technological lag in the field of CO₂ capture and are committed to bridging this gap.
Every purchase made with Loire Montgolfières helps support the development of new technologies aimed at removing CO₂ from the atmosphere.
In addition, we are proud to be part of the Stripe Climate program, a coalition of companies determined to take concrete action to reduce CO₂ emissions and invest in sustainable solutions for the future of our planet. This way, we can continue to fly over the châteaux of the Loire Valley while preserving our environment and ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable future for all. Join us in our commitment to creating a cleaner, more sustainable future for all.
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At Loire Montgolfières, we are committed to providing you with the most experienced pilots and team, ensuring that your hot air balloon experience is truly unforgettable.