Crêt Blanc

Crêt Blanc launches at 1,406 m above the Vallée de Joux in the Swiss Jura, a soaring ridge best known for straightforward thermal and ridge flying with a west-facing takeoff. The launch itself is easy underfoot, which makes it a friendly starting point for a ridge-soaring session, but the flight plan needs a bit more care than the takeoff does: pilots need to keep an eye on the soaring conditions and turn right early enough to reach Le Pont if lift isn't holding, rather than pressing on and running out of options over unlandable terrain. For exactly that reason there's a known emergency landing option to the left, on the Plateau des Croisettes, which pilots should identify before launching rather than searching for it mid-flight. Good for both thermal and ridge soaring, and often used as a hike-up launch, Crêt Blanc rewards pilots who plan the bail-out before committing to the ridge line.

Launch & conditions

Easy, west-facing takeoff — straightforward to launch from, though the surrounding terrain calls for more planning than the launch itself.

Getting there & local rules

Reached on foot from the valley, in line with its hike-up rating — no drive-to-launch shortcut here.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Crêt Blanc, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Crêt Blanc with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.