Landing near Roussillon |
Dawn in the Luberon
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We
have started landing, slowly but
surely, playing with the wind and
the stretches of vineyard that converge
towards the ochre-tinted village
of Roussillon. Another lesson in
aerology is given to us in anticipation. "You
see, you have to take in the reaction
time of the baloon, the time it takes
to respond in relation to the burner".
Jacques gains some altitude to avoid
an electric wire right in front of
us.
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Some fantastic experiences |
Our confirmed pilot sets our imaginations
on fire! His hot-air baloon was the
first to fly over Tibet during an expdition
with commandant Cousteau. He was also
an instructor for ten years in Africa,
giving him the chance to fly over the
Sahara. In 1996 he went up the Yellow
River all the way to Shanghai and he
often participates in hot-air baloon
competitions on the Mont Blanc. Fantastic
experiences that fuel the imagination
and emotions. Unusual experiences like
the Brazilian couple, where the husband
renewed his vows by offering his wife
a superb ring, heavy in carats. The
old wedding ring voluntarily fell from
the finger to lose itself 150 m below
in the Provençal scrub!
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Jacques' wife, who always follows
the baloon in her jeep, could not find
it, despite the radio specifications
given to her by her husband. Too bad,
but the flight had been epic!
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Land approaches at a great speed
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After an hour and a half of an enchanting
flight, the hot-air baloon prepares to
land. We will hit ground in 5 minutes.
A testing of the ground winds still shows
a gentle easterly wind and even if the
Earth approaches at a great speed, the
contact with land is extremely soft.
The baloon swerves a little to the right
and settles. For lack of horses, the
burner starts up again to make the gondola "roll" up
to the jeep. Now you have to act fast.
Jacques pulls on the sail to deflate
it and lay it on the ground. Thousands
of m3 of air escape from the baloon.
The baloon's eye closes, yet the dreams,
images and emotions of the "initiated
Jules Vernes" that we now are do
not end. The ballon is folded, but the
anecdotes continue at a good rhthym around
a home-made country lunch, as though
to stretch out those simple yet true
moments!
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© Photos : Camille
Moirenc. Texte : Sandrine Moirenc |
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