Refuge de Chalin

Refuge de Chalin is a high alpine launch at around 2,585 metres above Monthey, Switzerland, and one of the more flexible sites around: it's flyable from north, northeast, east, west or northwest, so it's rarely wind-bound if you check first which direction is on. The takeoff itself is rocky, though with patches of grass depending on conditions, and the east side drops away steeply — launching that way requires a proper face wind, not a marginal one. Access in summer is on foot from Chindonne when the road up is open, or via Les Cerniers, which is reachable by bus from Monthey; either way, the path is not technically difficult but does require some careful footing. Given the altitude, the rocky ground and the steep east side, this is a site for pilots comfortable assessing launch conditions carefully rather than assuming a flat, grassy takeoff. With five workable wind directions, though, patience on a marginal day is usually rewarded with a flyable window from somewhere on the compass.

Launch & conditions

Rocky takeoff (some grass) at ~2,585 m; the east side is steep and needs a proper face wind. Flyable from N, NE, E, W or NW.

Getting there & local rules

On foot from Chindonne in summer when the road is open, or via Les Cerniers (bus from Monthey); path is not difficult but somewhat technical.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Refuge de Chalin, 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 Refuge de Chalin with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.