Jul 18, 2018 BY Mark Barber
Europe offers a vast amount of varied paragliding, and without doubt some of the top spots on the planet. But if you want to paraglide European style where should you go? Fortunately for you, we’ve written about the 23 best paragliding sites in Europe below.
To compile the list, we thought who better to ask than YOU! So that is what we did. We ran a survey across the three most popular paragliding groups on Facebook to get a broad range of paragliders opinions.
Europe is such a diverse continent with so many great places to paraglide that our original intention of a top 10 became a 15, then a 20. Eventually we settled on 23 as we had to stop somewhere! The following list is in alphabetical order. Drum roll please….
With almost guaranteed sunshine, Ager is one of the best locations for cross country paragliding and has very reliable flying conditions. With the backdrop of the Pyrenees, Ager has the perfect combination of lakes, gorges, flat land and rocky terrain.
Ager is the place to go if you want to paraglide European style whilst enjoying a typical Catalonia relaxed vibe. Sangria anyone?
Algodonales is perfect place if you want to fly cross country while enjoying the southern Spanish climate and charm. Check out FlySpain for lessons and guiding as they are one of the top paragliding schools in Europe.
The quaint village of Algodonales sits at the foot of the Sierra de Lijar mountain and enjoys a cross breeze from both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. This all blends together to be the perfect mix for beginners to cut their teeth on whilst offering more experienced paragliders plenty of fun.
A ski resort in the winter, Andelsbuch is a typically Austrian village and an ideal traditional location to paraglide European style. If you start of at Niedere, you can paraglide in any direction. A beautiful flight is heading straight towards Andelsbuch where you can land in a field near the ski lift.
The reason why Andelsbuch is so popular, and probably why it’s one of the best paragliding sites in Europe, is that the area does not suffer from valley winds but has good riser winds. This combo should keep you flying all day!
Can you think of anything more spectacular than paragliding over the stunning turquoise water of Lake Annecy? If that isn’t enough, you also have the snow capped Alps as a backdrop! No wonder Annecy came out near the top during our poll of the best paragliding sites in Europe.
It is also easy to get to from Britain by car. Or if you prefer to fly, it is only a hop, skip and jump from Geneva airport.
Based at the foot of the magnificent Dolomites, Bassano is an excellent flying region in Italy. It’s popularity is due to its own perfect micro-climate. Facing the coastal line down to Venice, Bassano is protected from the northern winds by the imposing mountains.
It offers a good mix of classic ridge soaring and flatland flying, with good reliability of conditions. Will suit any flyers from beginner to advanced.
Throw in the fact that you can also enjoy wonderful Italian cuisine, it doesn’t surprise me that Bassano is rated highly for those wishing to paraglide European style.
Berga is just north of Barcelona in the shadows of the mighty Pyrenees mountains. It has mild weather all year round enjoying a Mediterranean climate. The best time to go is in Spring or Autumn as it can get a bit windy in the summer.
Ideal for beginners and experts alike, Berga has a reputation of having a very friendly flying community. Also, why not turn it into more of a holiday and spend a few days in nearby Barcelona?
If you truly wish to paraglide European style, why not travel to… Well, stay here in ol’ Blighty! Bradwell is the only contender from England to make the grade in our 23 best paragliding sites in Europe survey.
It is also one of the most controversial on the list as Bradwell is not a DSC (Derbyshire Soaring Club) site due to legal reasons.
Despite having easy landing sites, Bradwell is probably not ideal for beginners due to interchanging conditions and possible turbulent winds. However, it is known for awesome soaring and has great XC possibilities.
Launching off from the north-facing mountain escarpments, Brecon Beacons is ideal for beginners and experts alike.
Flying high in the thermals above a quilt of patchwork fields and mountains, or soaring over hill ridges, you can’t get much better than this anywhere in Europe! Which is why many pilots believe that Brecon Beacons National Park is the best paragliding area in Britain.
At the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix has been a Mecca for extreme sports junkies for many years. Experienced paragliders can use the extensive lift system to get up to take-off points, while beginners can organise tandem experiences and lessons.
If you want to paraglide European style over the Alps then Chamonix is the place to be. In the summer the weather is often warm and clear with great flying conditions.
Chamonix is a great base as it is a lively town with a good atmosphere. Ideal to enjoy a cold beer after an exhilarating day flying.
Shimmering an array of orange and red shades at sunset, the Dolomites has to be one of the most stunning mountain ranges in the world. So it is not hard to see why Col Rodella has made it on the list of the best paragliding sites in Europe.
From XC to technical flying, Col Rodella has everything that experts and beginners alike could wish for. The site of Col Rodella can easily be reached by cable car from Campitello di Fassa.
The elevation can mean that flying conditions can be erratic with mild to crazy thermals, and everything in between. Experienced flyers may enjoy to go spring or summer, but conditions can be difficult. Beginners should definitely stick to the Autumn when conditions are more predictably more stable.
Soaring over the Dolomites, especially the peak of Marmolada, is something dreams are made of. Simply stunning.
Close to the Italian border, Greifenburg is elevated at 620m in the Ober Drautal region, southern Austria. With huge XC potential, flyers enjoy soaring through the Alps with large, grassy landing areas.
Taking off from the south facing ridges allows for high and fast flying. Conveniently, most of the routes loop back to where you started. Conditions are usually good as it is protected from the strong winds that affect other areas in the Alps. It is suitable for all levels of flyers.
Probably not the cheapest country to go paragliding…. but with it’s chocolate box scenery, Switzerland is irresistible.
With only a 20 minute cable car ride to the top, you are greeted with stunning views that stretch far and wide over Grindelwald and beyond. Facing the north side of the Eiger, the magnificent glaciers and the Wetterhorn, you can enjoy a magical flight down into the valley.
Fly through valleys, over thick blanketed forests, rivers, lakes and waterfalls. The Jura mountain range is simply spectacular. It is also a great place for beginners to get a a taste of what paragliding is all about, with many excursions and a 5 day ‘discovery’ pack available to book.
From Basel to Geneva, experienced flyers will enjoy the thermals and carefree flying. It is easy to see why the Jura mountains got voted as one of the best places to paraglide European style.
With a scrumptious mix of flatland and mountain terrain, Krusevo is ideal for cross country paragliding. That is why Krusevo hosted the hang gliding and paragliding Europeans in 2016.
The more experienced flyers will probably enjoy the insanely good thermals over the rocky ridges to the East. Others will enjoy launching over the wooded hills on the west where the conditions are not too intimidating.
The flying area is a natural bowl so excellent for triangles. You also have easy launch and landing areas. Krusevo is well known on the competition circuit and easily one of the best paragliding sites in Europe.
It is hard to believe, but Piedrahita used to be barely known in paragliding circles. That all changed thanks to one man, Steve Ham, who single handedly put Piedrahita on the map. It is now known as one of the best paragliding sites in the world, and has held plenty of competitions and had world records broken there over the years.
Piedrahita has the perfect mix of open flatland and mountain. It is known for it’s near ideal conditions and famed for excellent high altitude flying. Suited for expert cross country flyers as well as beginners who only require low airtime sessions.
Sited near Chamonix, Plaine Joux is the perfect launch site as it is easily reached by fully tarmacked road. It’s ideal for beginners to learn paragliding while enjoying the stunning scenery of the Mont Blanc mountain range.
Use Chamonix as a base to enjoy the lively, eccentric and fun atmosphere. Home to many action sports, there is always something happening in Chamonix.
Take off from Babadag Mountain, which is one of the highest commercial paragliding take off sites in the world. Enjoy the incredible sea view and the blue lagoon, before landing easily on the lovely golden sands of Oludeniz beach.
This is absolutely fantastic for beginners who want to have a paragliding experience while on their summer holidays. The conditions are usually stable, with some decent thermals that experienced paragliders can make the most of.
Located in the glorious Pyrenees mountains, Organya is ideal for all levels of paragliding. However, it’s considered one of the best places in Europe to practice acrobatic flying. The 1km high mountain blocks high winds and creates a micro-climate. Ideal for gaining height quickly.
If you have never been to the Pyrenees before then you will notice they are very different to the Alps. The mountain scenery is breathtaking and you will have views of Cadi, Pedraforca, and Peak Orri.
It is easy to get to by car. And if you are planning on camping there is a campsite just 5 minutes walk away.
Soar above the stunningly beautiful Julian Alps and enjoy the birdseye view of the shimmering emerald Soca River. Slovenia is a beautiful country that is easy on the wallet.
You may want to head to Stol near Kobarid. With scenic ridge tops stretching out over a distance of 20Km, this is an ideal location for cross country flying where you can really paraglide European style!
Kobariški Stol is the highest take off area in the Soca valley and is usually above the inversion layer. This gives great opportunities for thermal flying.
Kick-arse thermals, long mountain ridges and over 300 days of sunshine a year! St Andres Les Alps is one of best places to experience how to paraglide European style!
With interconnected ridges that can be jumped off, insane thermals caused by the French Alps, and high cloud base, St Andre Les Alpes is considered one of the top spots in the world for cross country flying. Flyers can easily achieve long distances with ease.
It is also a great place to learn to paraglide. With good take off areas, a steady thermal breeze and large landing areas – perfect! A lot of people in our survey voted it as one of the best paragliding sites in Europe. What do you think?
If you want to paraglide European style Le Treh is a surprising choice but a welcome addition to our list of the best paragliding sites in Europe. Best suited for beginners with many paragliding schools to choose from, flyers will enjoy the majestic mountain range.
Conditions are not always as stable as other locations in France, but hardly ever that extreme either. Easy take off and landing areas also make it ideal for beginners.
The Central Italian region of Umbria is very popular for paragliding. There are lots of good spots in the region making it too difficult to pick just one!
Monte Cucco, is ideal for beginners and advanced flyers alike. Or try out the massive thermals at Monte Subasio, which is located around the ancient town of Assisi.
If those don’t float your boat, then consider Alte Valle del Chiascio. Here you can expect good flying conditions thanks to the collision of Atlantic and Baltic air currents.
So, last but not least on this list of the best paragliding sites in Europe is Zell Am See. Fly from the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See for incredible mountain views. You’ll see the beautiful peaks of Kitzsteinhorn and the Grossglockner and the stunning Lake Zellersee.
The take off is at 2000m altitude and can easily be reached by a gondola ride. The near perfect thermal alpine conditions are great for cross country paragliding.
So there it is! Our list of the 23 best paragliding sites in Europe, compiled from a survey of members of the three most popular paragliding groups on Facebook.
Please let us know what you think? Should any other locations be added to the list? Is this list a true reflection of the best places to paraglide European style?
We hope you have enjoyed reading our article of the best paragliding sites in Europe. If you are planning a trip be sure to check out our paragliding discounts as you could save a fortune.
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