Six thrilling activities in Alsace and the Vosges to take you to new heights

Between the Rhine plain, the vine-covered slopes and the Vosges uplands, Alsace has a landscape that lends itself particularly well to experiences in the air. Once you are up high, the towns, villages and vineyard plots offer a very different reading of the region from the one you get from the road.

Tourism here goes far beyond visiting the historic town centres. According to Insee, the French national statistics office, collective tourist accommodation in the Grand Est region recorded 14.9 million overnight stays between April and September 2025, an increase of 5.2% on the previous summer season.

Adrenactive lists supervised leisure activities across several fields, including air sports, discovery flights and introductory piloting lessons. Its catalogue lets you compare experiences that vary widely in intensity and format. The choice therefore depends less on an abstract taste for adventure than on the relationship you want with height, speed and the controls.

Choosing an experience to suit the thrills you are after

An airborne activity is not just about “having a head for heights” or loving strong emotions. Aerology, the type of aircraft and the participant’s position all profoundly change the experience. Skydiving creates a sharp break with the ground, while paragliding brings a sense of gliding. Hot-air ballooning favours slow, silent travel. Helicopters and microlights add the sound of the engine, closeness to the terrain and, on some courses, a first taste of the controls.

• For instant intensity: a tandem skydive.
• To feel the movement of the air: paragliding.
• To take in the view without chasing speed: hot-air ballooning.
• To discover a powered aircraft: a helicopter or microlight.
• To get more involved: an introductory piloting lesson.

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Skydiving for the most intense break with the ground

The tandem jump is the most radical experience in this selection. It combines the climb in the plane, the opening of the door, the exit and then the freefall. The participant is attached to the instructor by a tandem harness, while the professional controls body position, altitude and the opening of the canopy.

You can go skydiving near Strasbourg from the Colmar-Houssen drop zone in the Haut-Rhin. The package includes a climb to 4,000 metres, around 50 seconds of freefall and several minutes of descent under canopy. “Near Strasbourg” should therefore be understood in regional terms: the airfield is close to Colmar, about an hour from the Alsatian capital.

The transition from freefall to the opening of the tandem canopy is one of the distinctive features of skydiving. The speed gives way to a much calmer phase, during which the landscape becomes legible again. As the activity depends on cloud cover, wind and the scheduling of aircraft rotations, it is wise to set aside half a day rather than a tight time slot.

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Paragliding and hot-air ballooning to read the landscape

A first paragliding flight in the Vosges

For a more gradual sensation, you can try paragliding near Gérardmer. The destination lies in the Vosges département rather than in Alsace, but it is a natural extension for a stay focused on the mountains. The tandem flight is supervised by a qualified instructor and available by reservation between April and November.

Paragliding makes use of the movements of the air mass and the terrain. The duration, the altitude reached and the route therefore cannot be reproduced identically on every flight. The pilot analyses the breeze, the thermals and the weather window before deciding whether conditions allow a satisfactory take-off. This element of adaptation is what sets free flight apart from a pre-planned aerial circuit.

Hot-air ballooning for a contemplative experience

The balloon offers almost the opposite experience to skydiving. There is no freefall and no precisely set trajectory: the basket moves with the air mass, while the pilot adjusts the temperature inside the envelope to change altitude. According to France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC), 570 balloons were operated for commercial passenger transport in France at the end of 2023.

If you would like to fly over Alsace in a hot-air balloon near Colmar, bear in mind that the place name refers to a general discovery area rather than a fixed departure point. The experience takes place in the Sundgau area, and take-off may be arranged towards Mulhouse, Belfort or Montbéliard depending on the wind direction. The exact location is communicated shortly before the flight date.

Helicopters and microlights: three more ways to fly

A first helicopter flight in Colmar

A helicopter discovery flight suits travellers who want to see several sites in quick succession from an enclosed cabin. Departing from Colmar-Houssen, the sightseeing circuit can offer views over Colmar, Eguisheim and its castles, and the Hohlandsbourg. The rotor allows vertical take-off and changes of direction that give the flight a very different feel from that of an aeroplane.

An autogyro microlight flight in Issenheim

In Issenheim, near Mulhouse, the autogyro discovery flight puts the passenger in a light aircraft with an open cockpit. Unlike a helicopter, the autogyro’s main rotor is not directly driven by the engine during flight: it turns by autorotation, while a propeller provides thrust.

This category plays an important role in French light aviation. France’s civil aviation authority estimated the total number of microlights in France at just under 16,000 at the end of 2023.

An introductory helicopter piloting lesson in Colmar

The piloting course adds a technical dimension missing from a simple discovery flight. After a briefing on the ground, the participant is introduced to the three basic controls: the anti-torque pedals, the collective and the cyclic. The latter is used to tilt the rotor disc and move the aircraft in a given direction.

The instructor keeps overall control thanks to dual controls. The first exercises may involve holding a hover or making simple movements along the different axes. The aim is not to train a pilot in a single session, but to understand the fine coordination needed to stabilise a helicopter.

Preparing well for an airborne activity

All these experiences are sensitive to weather conditions. A bright sky is not always enough: wind strength, gusts, visibility, cloud cover and local aerology can all lead to a postponement. This decision rests with the professional in charge of the flight and should be seen as a normal part of the activity.

Before you go, it is also worth checking the conditions specific to each package: minimum age, maximum weight, required clothing, any medical certificate and parental consent. For an outdoor activity, closed shoes, clothing suited to the season and a windproof layer are generally advisable. The instructions given during the briefing always take priority.

Seeing Alsace from a different perspective

These six experiences do not deliver the same emotions. Skydiving concentrates the intensity into a few seconds, paragliding follows the contours of the terrain, hot-air ballooning lets the wind decide the route and powered aircraft offer a quicker overview of the region. The best choice therefore comes down to deciding how much room you want to give to speed, contemplation and piloting.

From the air, the Alsace plain, the vineyards and the foothills of the Vosges no longer appear as separate stops. They form a single landscape whose lines and distances suddenly become much easier to understand.

Enzo

Hi, I'm Enzo! I'm the guy who loves lacing up his hiking boots to explore the rugged trails of the Vosges. Passionate about nature and photography, I take you along through articles that capture the scent of fir forests and the charm of mountain lakes. I live for those moments when the sun rises over the Haut-Koenigsbourg or when I stumble upon an authentic inn along the way. My goal? To inspire you to get out, breathe in the fresh Alsatian air, and always have a great spot for a tarte flambée to share at the end of the day.

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