A hot air balloon flight over Amboise with Aérocom
Who hasn’t dreamed of soaring above the most beautiful Loire Valley châteaux? Of admiring these magnificent landscapes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from a bird’s-eye view? Of experiencing a timeless moment in absolute tranquility, between clouds and châteaux, sky and river? This is the magical experience we had above the rooftops of Amboise, during a hot air balloon flight with the company Aérocom. Fasten your seatbelts, we’re taking off!
Smooth takeoff on the banks of the Loire
We met around 6 p.m. in Chaumont-sur-Loire, where we found about twenty lucky people ready to take to the skies in the three Aérocom balloons mobilized for the occasion. The sky was blue, the sun gentle, and the wind light. Speaking of wind, that was precisely our pilot Mathieu’s primary concern at that moment. A test balloon was launched and indicated the wind direction: light from the west. The decision was made to head to the Amboise launch site, 15 minutes away. Crews and passengers boarded several minibuses; destination: the capital of the Loire Valley châteaux.
We stopped on the banks of the Loire, opposite the Royal Château of Amboise, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful panoramas in the Loire Valley. The 8-person basket was lowered onto the ground and the balloon fabric unfurled. A powerful fan is activated to fill the vast space with air, while two volunteers hold the fabric taut. At the same time, Mathieu gives us the initial safety instructions. The first step is to climb into the basket when the time comes. As the hot helium raises the balloon’s temperature, the ropes tighten. It’s time to climb into the basket, sometimes in a slightly acrobatic fashion. There are eight of us passengers, including four American visitors, accompanied by our pilot. We feel the basket begin to stir and gently lift off.
Hot air balloon flight over Amboise and its castles
Our hot air balloon quickly gains altitude. The view is magnificent, a 360° panorama. Four other multicolored balloons soon join us in a graceful ballet. The rooftops of Amboise shrink as we fly above the Loire River. We glimpse the meandering sandbanks, which form poetic shapes. The birds flying over the river are now just tiny white dots.
Even from over 200 meters above the ground, the Royal Château of Amboise reveals its imposing silhouette. Mathieu gives us a tour, showing us the most iconic monuments of the town. Nestled against the castle walls, the Saint-Hubert Chapel houses the presumed tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. From the sky, we have a bird’s-eye view of the details of its roof and also admire the perfect geometry of the gardens. A short distance away, the Château du Clos Lucé stands out with its red brick. One can glimpse its park, which Leonardo da Vinci so loved to wander through. On the city’s heights, the Pagoda of Chanteloup rises above the trees, and its history seems to fascinate the American passengers.
A suspended moment between earth and clouds
To say we were blown away is a gross understatement. So captivated were we by the flight over Amboise that we’d completely lost sight of the other balloons. Sure enough, there we were, spotting Aérocom’s beautiful blue hot air balloon on our east side. It had taken advantage of a thermal to overtake us. Mathieu skillfully manipulated the controls and two burners to make us ascend or descend. He took the time to explain the very subtle techniques of takeoff: the air is heated to gain altitude, and the burners are shut off to descend. A single degree can make all the difference.
We continued to climb, reaching 1,000 meters. The fields were like pastel-colored postage stamps, ranging from pale yellow to dark green. Below, a freight train rumbled by, its presence undisturbed by the silence in the basket. We experience a suspended moment, almost hypnotized by the smoothness of the flight, and a feeling of complete contentment washes over us. To the west, the sun begins its slow descent toward the horizon. Mathieu points out a beautiful property nestled against the hillside: “That’s the home of singer Mick Jagger.” The passengers can’t believe their ears. Nevertheless, we leave the Rolling Stones icon’s estate behind us and begin our descent.
A safe landing for the hot air balloon
Mathieu gives us instructions for the landing. Approach with your back to us, bend your knees, and hold on tight. We get closer to the ground and barely feel the contact with the earth. The landing is incredibly smooth, in a small meadow nestled between a few rows of vines; “we’re very careful to respect the farmers’ work,” Mathieu tells us. “We prefer uncultivated land for our landings, and ideally places we already know.” In a few moments, the canopy unfurls and falls to the ground. A physical task begins for our pilot: the canopy now has to be folded to fit into a bag barely bigger than a tent bag. Everyone uses their own technique to help expel the remaining air from the folds of the canopy, which ultimately proves very effective.
Back to square one
We rejoin the minivan and head back to Chaumont-sur-Loire. Upon arrival, Mathieu invites us to share a drink and takes the opportunity to present us with our honorary aeronaut diploma. It’s a chance to chat with him about his passion for his work, which shines through in every gesture and word. With 18 years in the profession, he has logged 2,500 flight hours. It’s safe to say he’s a seasoned professional, and his expertise is evident in everything he does. Always calm, he exudes serenity. His words are reassuring, like when he explains that people prone to vertigo don’t experience it aboard a hot air balloon (we can attest to that). It’s a little after 9 p.m., and time to say goodbye. Still calm after this suspended moment, we leave Mathieu and his gondola behind, promising to repeat the experience in other settings.
(Advertorial produced on April 16, 2026)
Useful little things to know
- Aérocom, based between Blois and Amboise, offers hot air balloon flights over the Loire Valley châteaux between April and October.
- Each flight lasts 3 hours: 1 hour of preparation, 1 hour of flight, and 1 hour of post-landing.
- Aérocom has several baskets of varying sizes, including one adapted for passengers with reduced mobility.
- Hot air balloon flights are particularly dependent on weather conditions. Flight confirmation is given the evening before for an early morning flight and late morning for an evening flight.
- Aérocom’s professional pilots will always prioritize passenger safety when confirming or canceling your flight.
