What I like about Fayence is the familiar feeling. I come here since 1994 with (large) interruptions in between, and though it always feel as if you left only the day before. They have got the same instructors as when I came here 15 years ago, the same procedures and the same cozy atmosphere.

By 11.15am, the air mass gets unstable and the first pilots making long overland flights take off. By 12.30pm , most of these experienced pilots are all gone. When you fly locally, you can take off after lunch.

The Fayence airfield is located at 250 meters altitude. They typically tow you up until a height of 950 meters close to what they call here “La Pente”, meaning the military airfield of Canjuers. This “pente” is a first hill where one can easily find thermals. Pilots tend to fly very close, and I mean VERY close – some 7 meters from the hill to get the best winds. This is very exciting. From here, one continues to “Malay Sud” a mountain somewhat higher, where you need to have a minimum safe altitude of some 1400 meters to make it back to Fayence in every condition. From the Malay Sud,  you fly very close amongst the hills to Malay Nord where you need to have a MSA of 1600 meter. You’re now nearing the outskirts of the “local” of Fayence, meaning the Mont Lachens at 1700 meters. You cannot cross the Mont Lachens when flying locally, that’s forbidden.

I made some 4 local flights following this path, all of these flights took a couple of hours (between 2 and 4). This is pure fun and it boosts your energy levels so much