Some experiences leave a mark for life. A first paragliding flight is one of them. Taking off above the Bozel valley, watching the pastures, torrents and peaks drift beneath your feet, safely harnessed to an instructor: this is an adventure even children can share. Here’s everything you need to know.
Family profile: Adventurous | Season: Summer · From: age 5-6 depending on conditions and provider
Flying above the Bozel valley
A tandem flight is paragliding for two: a qualified instructor pilots, you (or your child) simply enjoy. No experience is needed, and no physical preparation either. Take-off happens in a few steps, and once in the air it’s a silence and a smoothness that surprise everyone — you expect a thrill ride and instead discover incredible calm.
From the heights of Courchevel and Tincave, the panorama takes in the whole valley: the Vanoise massif, distant glaciers, and the patchwork of pastures below.
What age can children start? The parents’ question
It’s the first thing we get asked. Most schools accept children from age 5 or 6, provided they can stand at take-off and follow the instructor’s simple instructions. A minimum weight (often around 20 kg) may be required depending on the wing and weather.
Safety always comes first: the instructor decides on the day whether conditions (wind, thermals) suit a child. If in doubt, the flight is postponed — and that’s a good thing.
Take-off at the Pré de Bozel (les Prés)
Take-off is from the Pré de Bozel, which locals call “les Prés” — the old summer barns of the Tincave villagers, where hay and animals were once brought up for the season. Today these pastures at 1,437 m are one of the free-flight spots most favoured by local instructors: easy access, an open launch area, and a view that sets the mood straight away.
Before flying, you check the “Pré Bozel déco” weather beacon (live wind and direction, updated every 4 minutes): view the Pré de Bozel beacon. A paraglider’s reflex — and a real bonus when you’re staying nearby.
Chalet École des Cimes, a base camp for free flight
Something few families know: the Bozel valley is a renowned paragliding playground, and the Chalet École des Cimes in Tincave sits just minutes from the main take-off sites — perfect for stringing together flights over several days, catching the right weather window without the stress.
The sites within reach of the chalet:
- The Pré de Bozel (“les Prés”) — the local site at 1,437 m, with its live weather beacon.
- Mont Jovet — for more committing flights, with an exceptional panorama over the Vanoise.
- Le Bouc Blanc, in Courchevel — one of the resort’s flagship take-offs, about fifteen minutes away.
Staying in Tincave means you can glance at the beacon over breakfast and decide, coffee in hand, whether it’s a flying day.
How a tandem flight works
The sequence is simple and reassuring:
- The briefing — the instructor explains the few take-off steps and the one move to make (run down the slope).
- Take-off — a few strides and the wing lifts you gently. It’s quicker than you’d imagine.
- The flight — 10 to 20 minutes depending on the package, with gentle or livelier turns on request.
- Landing — guided by the instructor, smooth and soft.
Many providers offer a video or photos of the flight — a souvenir children proudly show the whole class come September.
Book with a local instructor
Always choose a state-qualified instructor and a recognised school based in the valley: they know the local winds, the best time slots (often morning or late afternoon when the air is calmer) and how to adapt to your children’s level. The Bozel and Courchevel tourist offices can point you to approved providers.
Book ahead in high season, and keep a spare day in your plans: the weather decides, and it’s better to postpone by a day than to cancel.
After the flight: keep the thrills going
An adventurous family never stops at one activity. After paragliding, the valley offers plenty more: treetop adventure, climbing, or a great ride out on the bike. Keen cyclists will even eye the legendary climb of the Col de la Loze from Tincave.