Paragliding in Saint-Leu, Réunion: the lagoon from the air

Réunion Island’s first paragliding flight took off from here

In November 1984, John Jourdain launched from the hills above Saint-Leu and flew the island’s first paraglider. Air Lagon was born of that flight. The team has worked the same slopes ever since, with more than 50,000 flights behind it and a rating of 4.9/5 on Google. Its history is the history of paragliding in Réunion.

Flying one massif for that long shows. Our instructors read the breezes at Les Colimaçons hour by hour, and they know when a slot will hold and when it will not.

Why fly with us

• State-certified instructors (Brevet d’État). It is the only qualification that allows paid tandem flying in France, and every one of our pilots holds it.
• A state-approved organisation since 1988, holder of the Qualité Tourisme label and of the French tourism medal, bronze grade, since 2008.
• Certified equipment, checked every morning before the first flight, and professional liability insurance that covers every passenger.
• Open from age 4 and 20 kg, up to 120 kg, with no experience and no physical preparation needed.

Saint-Leu, a rare flying site

The south-easterly trade winds run up the west coast and meet the relief of Saint-Leu. They produce steady lift and around 300 flyable days a year. The dry season, from May to November, gives the calmest air and the clearest view of the lagoon. The guide to paragliding in Réunion covers the seasons and the island’s flying sites.

The main take-off, Les Colimaçons, stands 800 m above the town. The flight crosses the sugar cane fields and the Mascarin botanical gardens, then reaches the turquoise lagoon and its coral reef. You land at the water’s edge, a few hundred metres from Kélonia. Two other take-offs complete the picture: a private site at 1,600 m above the primary forest, and Le Maïdo at 2,200 m, facing the Cirque de Mafate.

How the day works

We meet near Kélonia, at the northern entrance to Saint-Leu, fifteen minutes before the agreed time. Parking is free and lines 30, 31 and 37 of the Kar’ouest network serve the area. The shuttle waits at the meeting point and then takes you up to the take-off; you land back in the same place. Allow one hour to two and a half hours on site, depending on the package, and the whole morning for the Maïdo Flight.

The weather decides, never the diary: if the instructor has any doubt about conditions, the flight is postponed at no charge. Availability and booking go through Elloha, our partner platform; if Elloha shows as full, call us — you can pay online, or on site in cash, by cheque or with chèques vacances (up to 50%). The five flights differ in time in the air and in take-off site; if this is your first time, start with the tandem flight.