In July 2016, in Istanbul, France will present the dossier on the Chaîne des Puys - Limagne fault to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Prior to that, mobilization in favor of the registration continues and in the coming days, the Chaîne des Puys hot-air balloon, ambassador of this candidacy, will participate in the operation Crossing the Channel, 100 balloons 2015. She will fly from Kent in Great Britain to Calais in France At his side, two other balloons from Piedmont, those of Volvic and Limagrain

Crossing the English Channel in a balloon is a mythical feat. In 2014, to pay homage to the soldiers of the 14-18 war and on the occasion of the commemoration ceremonies, the Arras Montgolfières Sport Aventure association wanted to organize a gathering with a "record" number of hot-air balloons to fly over the English Channel from Kent in Great Britain to Calais in France.
In 2015, if the weather is good, with north-westerly winds of around 30 km/h, the crossing will be proposed again by the association.

Planned take-off before 22 December 2015.

Des Puydômois attacking the English Channel

Three crews from Puydômois have signed up to take part in this extraordinary human and collective adventure in which crews of 10 different nationalities will be involved

-The Chaîne des Puys - Limagne fault balloon piloted by Aymeric BONNIER from QUATRE VENTS company

-The LIMAGRAIN balloon piloted by Daniel COULOMB & Jean-Paul FERLUT

-The VOLVIC balloon piloted by Dominique GOUTTEQUILLET (QUATRE VENTS in Pontgibaud)

Volvic, a subsidiary of Groupe Danone, and Groupe Limagrain, the world's 4th largest seeds company, are already among the leading partners in the candidature of the Limagne Puys-faille chain for UNESCO World Heritage status

These 3 crews were already present on September 25th, 26th and 27th at the Hot Air Balloon Gathering Vols au-dessus d'un nid de volcans coordinated by the Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme and the company Quatre Vents.

This expedition will be a real challenge for them. It will make them travel in new and special conditions. A great unknown for these pilots who are used to flying over the Auvergne relief with the latitude to change course and adopt more navigational possibilities depending on altitude. Visual flight is simple, the horizon line, made up of a wide variety of reliefs and landscapes, shows the changes in level. If they wish, they can land and be picked up by their assistants within 15 minutes of landing.

Crossing the Channel represents a minimum of 38 km

Above the water and especially over the Channel (20% of the world's maritime traffic) there are a lot of boats, but no landmarks in terms of altitude. Navigation is by instruments only. Landing impossible, ditching not recommended although lifejacket and emergency beacon are mandatory.

The crossing can take 3 to 4 hours. For the crews of Puydômois this means doubling their usual fuel autonomy and taking more propane and fewer passengers on board. Assistants also have to adapt, taking the ferry to meet their crew after landing.


The crews will be notified only 4 days in advance by the organization

About a hundred balloons are expected to take part in this voyage, which is part of the great and beautiful history of aerostatic flights and more particularly the first crossing of the English Channel on 7 January 1785 by Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American patron John Jefferies, who crossed the Channel from Dover to Guînes in 2 hours and 25 minutes, aboard a hydrogen-filled balloon