Is paragliding a dangerous sport?
The activity is related to a specific element which is air, and we depend on the general state of the weather. Security comes first by the assess of the meteorological conditions and of your technical level.
Following a training with a EFVL labelised school is a promise of materiel and human engagement driving you to autonomy in security.

What about beeing afraid of heights?
In order to feel vertigo, you have to be on a fixed point (ridge, stairs...) but when paragliding as soon as your feet leave the ground this reaction does not trigger anymore. Your equilibrium center located in the internal ear does not have any ways to locate its position and does not provide you this information. You do not feel the discomfort.

Where do you jump?
We do not jump or throw ourselves from cliffs. To take off with a paraglider we require a slope whose angle is more than the glide angle of the wing and a good acceleration in order to generate enough lift on the canopy profile.

How long do you fly?
The flight duraction is direclty related to meteorological and local conditions, so the time spent up in the air can vary from a few seconds to several hours.
In regions where the wind blows almost permanently, the actual wing performance allows to stay up indefinitely, the only limit is the lack of sleep...

How high do you go?
The aerian space is divided in zones and layers, the pilot must inform himself and respect the reglementation of the places he goes through. Generaly the maximum altitude allowed is 3450m, however when respecting a defined proximity to the mountains it is possible to fly over this limit (5850m for the Mont Blanc).
The actual record (involontary) is 9946m.

How far do you go?
Paragliding allows to make transitions, to change valleys, to elevate, and to do all over again, so you can fly very far!
Pilots from the X-Alps travel more 800kms in less than 10 days, they link the galciers if Dachstein in Austria up to Monaco.
The 14/11/2007, Frank Brown, Marcelo Prieto and Rafael Saldini fly 461.8kms in one go at Quixida in Brasil.

Is it fast?
A paraglider flies at 35km/h, competitions wings untrimmed and accelerated can reach 55km/h.

Do you have to be very fit?
A good overall physical condition is enough to fly (a medical certificate will be needed to deliver your aerian license).

What about landing?
Because of the slow speed of paragliders, we can land very precisely, landing facing the wind most of the speed is counter acted and tenfolded with a symetrical braking action on the last meters, it is then very soft.

Are the strings robusts?
Only one string can resist to a traction going from 60 to over 200kg.

Is it expensive?
For the whole kit the price varies from 1000 to 3000€.