Frequently Asked Questions

Hot-air ballooning requires light winds, good visibility, stable air and no precipitation!

All year round, seven days a week! Flights take place early in the morning or at the end of the day, shortly before sunset. That’s when we have the best conditions for this activity. Click here to check flight times by season.

From April to November, we fly in the Lake Geneva region (Geneva, Lausanne, the plateau). Throughout the year, we take off from Gstaad and the Pays d’Enhaut region. The exact location of the flight is chosen according to weather conditions and regulatory constraints. Please let us know your preferred flying region, so that we can do all we can to meet your needs. Visit our flight locations map.

The average flight time is one hour. However, you should allow three to four hours for the whole adventure.

It all depends on wind direction and speed. The hot-air balloon is the only aircraft that sails with the wind. The average distance covered during a flight varies between 12 and 18km.

Nothing in particular. However, we recommend natural fibers for clothing and walking shoes. As a general rule, wear similar clothing to that used for hiking.

Anyone wishing to fly in a hot-air balloon must be able to stand upright for the duration of the flight. Unfortunately, we cannot accept pregnant women, people with heart problems or anyone who has recently undergone surgery. If in doubt, consult your doctor. Persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be allowed on board.

Most certainly your camera… And your good mood! 🙂

Of course, if you like! Whenever possible, your pilot will invite you to help set up and prepare the balloon! Our team will brief you on what to do!

Not really, as the temperatures encountered at normal flight altitudes are not very different from those on the ground.

Few passengers who are usually afraid of heights have this problem in a balloon. To feel vertigo, you need a link between the ground and where you are (Eiffel Tower, ladder, chair, etc.). Since this link doesn’t exist, you’re unlikely to suffer from balloon vertigo!

Sometimes we fly low over the trees, sometimes over 6000 feet. Most of the time, however, the balloon operates at between 500 and 4,000 feet.

There is no minimum or maximum age for a hot-air balloon flight. All persons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. For safety reasons, the minimum height is 1m20.

They are welcome to help with the preparations and the balloon take-off. They can also follow our recovery vehicle with their own car.

The meeting point will be communicated to you by SMS on the day of the flight (evening flight) or the day before (morning flight). For evening flights, we send you a message at the end of the morning and ask you to call us between 1:00 and 2:00 pm if you haven’t received it. For morning flights, we send you a message late in the afternoon the day before, and ask you to call us between 6 and 7 pm the evening before if you haven’t received it.

Once you have ordered and paid for your flight, we invite you to consult our online calendar to select the date of your choice. You can then send us your booking request by filling in the form. You will then receive a confirmation e-mail with all the practical details. We can also process your request by email to booking@ballons-du-leman.ch

Online on our website under buy a flight or by calling our call center. You can pay by credit card, cash or bank transfer. For bank payments, we will send you our contact details by e-mail or post.

Yes, all BALLONS du LEMAN flights are accompanied by champagne, fruit juices and post-flight snacks. We also offer sweet and savoury side dishes.

Unfortunately this is not possible. If the pilot considers the weather conditions to be suitable for the flight, it will take place. We fly when the air is stable, with no precipitation and calm winds.

If weather conditions do not allow you to fly on the day of your flight, we will reschedule your flight for a later date. Ballooning depends on weather conditions. As a result, in rare cases we cancel flights at the last minute, sometimes even just before take-off. We make no compromises when it comes to safety.

Our human-sized hot-air balloons come in different sizes and capacities. Our smallest balloons accommodate 2 to 4 passengers, our medium-sized balloons can carry up to 8 passengers, and our largest balloons can carry 12 to 14 people.

Don’t worry, you can reschedule your flight up to 48 hours in advance. We consider the ticket as “used” for any cancellation less than 48 hours before the flight date or for any passenger not showing up at the scheduled meeting point.

Statistics prove it: hot-air ballooning is one of the safest air sports. Safety is our top priority, and we make no compromises in this area.

Don’t worry, you can buy a 24-month validity extension for your ticket.

In that case, don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail or give us a call!