Paragliding History at Saint-Hilaire — Where Free Flight Began
The paragliding history of Saint-Hilaire is unlike any other site in the world. This plateau above Grenoble isn’t just a great place to fly — it’s the place where modern free flight was born. From the first hang glider launched in 1974 to the world’s largest paragliding festival held here every September, Saint-Hilaire has been at the centre of the story for over 50 years. Moreover, it shows no sign of slowing down.
1974 — The First Flight
In May 1974, three hang gliders launched from the « Pré qui tue » at the foot of the Dent de Crolles. Daniel Raibon-Pernoud, Michel Raibon and Pierre Martin had never seen anything quite like it — and neither had anyone else in France.
One month later, the Delta Club de Saint-Hilaire was founded. By September of that same year, the club organised the very first Coupe Icare: a hang gliding precision landing competition with around fifty participants. Consequently, the Grenoble-Chambéry road was paralysed by spectators who abandoned their cars to watch the winged men launch from the cliffs. The prefect called the mayor’s office on Monday morning to find out what had happened.
The event was officially unauthorised. However, in practice, organisers submitted their declaration during the week and the prefect issued the authorisation the Monday after — once everything was packed up. This cheerful semi-clandestinity lasted a good ten years.
1979 — World Championships at Saint-Hilaire
By 1976, the Coupe Icare was attracting over 200 competitors from 30 countries. Progress was staggering: pilots who had taken 3 minutes to descend 850m of vertical drop in the early editions were now staying airborne for nearly an hour on the same wings.
The 1979 edition was the high point of this first era. Saint-Hilaire hosted the 2nd Hang Gliding World Championships — 225 participants, 25 nations, tens of thousands of spectators, and two hours of live coverage on national television. The French team won. Furthermore, the event increased FFVL membership by 50% overnight.
The 1980s — Paragliding Arrives
After the euphoria of the World Championships, the early 1980s were difficult. Competition flying moved toward distance events that no longer interested spectators, and the organisers seriously considered shutting everything down.
Instead, they reinvented the event. In 1983, the International Free Flight Film Festival was created — the first of its kind in the world. Pilots began arriving in costumes. A second-hand gear market appeared. The Coupe Icare was slowly becoming something entirely new: a gathering, a celebration, a festival.
Then, in 1985, Daniel Raibon-Pernoud attended a paragliding course in Mieussy. He came back with a film, a chainsaw, and an idea. The following year, he returned with a dozen Saint-Hilaire locals. Together, they carved out the launch that still exists today and organised the first paragliding competition in June 1986. Saint-Hilaire had found its second wind.
In 1987, the site hosted the first French Paragliding Championships. In 1988, the first European Paragliding Championships. The plateau that had once been dismissed as incapable of serious flying was, therefore, now the stage for the sport’s biggest events.
The 1990s — A Festival Takes Shape
During the 1990s, the Coupe Icare gradually took on the shape it has today. The film festival grew and moved under a permanent marquee. The second-hand market became a full professional trade show. Aerial demonstrations, children’s workshops, street performances and music became permanent fixtures.
In 1997, Francis Rogallo — inventor of the hang glider and one of the founding fathers of free flight — visited the Coupe Icare and received a standing ovation. He said he had never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world.
By the end of the decade, the event had become the second largest sporting gathering in the Isère department, behind only the Tour de France at Alpe d’Huez.
The 2000s and Beyond — A World Institution
Today, the Coupe Icare draws pilots, filmmakers and free flight enthusiasts from every corner of the world each September. The event has expanded to include wingsuit demonstrations, paramotors, gliders, acrobatic displays by the Patrouille de France, a children’s book fair, live music, and the world’s most inventive costume competition.
The paragliding history of Saint-Hilaire is, therefore, still being written. Every September, for four days, this small plateau above Grenoble becomes the centre of the free flight universe.
Come and Fly Where It All Started
Saint-Hilaire’s paragliding history is the backdrop to every flight here. Whether you’re here for a tandem flight above the Chartreuse, a week of XC coaching, or simply to watch the Coupe Icare from the launch, you’re standing on the ground where free flight was born.