An unusual sighting over Sens!

We’ve often blogged about the sights you see through a campervan windscreen as you drive through France, but this one, taken last weekend, really took us by surprise. We were so surprised, we pulled up and took a photo!

On a crisp but sunny Burgundy day, the air was almost completely still giving the pilot the chance to show off in front of an appreciative crowd. First he touched down in the car park of a local car dealer, then took off, clearing the perimeter fence, street lights and signage by about 10cm and hovered very close to the ground over a roundabout, bringing the traffic to a standstill as people got out to watch.

It looked like a really dangerous stunt to the untrained eye, but the millimetre-perfect pilot seemed to know what he was doing and even the passing gendarmes allowed him to continue unchallenged as the people of Sens watched him bring the main road to a standstill. Just as he arrived over the roundabout, the wind seemed to stop altogether allowing him to hang there for several minutes before firing up the burners, rapidly ascending and catching the wind higher up to swiftly move off before the gendarmes ran out of festive good will!

Many of our clients enjoy a hot air balloon flight over France during their trip – it really is a wonderful way to get a bird’s eye view of our lovely country. Flights can be booked with a large number of operators all over France (just ask the tourism office in the area you visit) and usually end with Champagne and nibbles.

Why not surprise your other half with a balloon flight during your motorhome trip? Just make sure it’s not this lunatic flying it before you get into the basket!