Lalandelle

A small site on the edge of the Pays de Bray with two slopes, north and north-east, and around 50 m of vertical. Both launches were formally recognised in 2004 and are federation-approved. The north-east launch was partly cleared and enlarged at the same time, which makes it noticeably simpler to use than the north launch, which is cramped and technical — the line between the trees has to be flown cleanly. On the north slope there is no point starting from the very top, because the first part of the slope is effectively shallower than the glide of a modern wing.

Launch & conditions

The north-east launch is the easier of the two, and its take-off area is strictly limited to the sloping part below the field. The north launch is the cramped, technical one, threading between the trees.

Getting there & local rules

Coming from the N14, take the D43 for 6 km towards Gisors, then the D53 for 3 km to join the D915; pass Gisors and turn right onto the D22 to Lalandelle. Leaving the village, take the track that runs alongside a farm on the right, just before the end-of-village sign. There is a small car park at the entrance to the wood.

Local rules & hazards

Access rests on an agreement renewed each year with the local council and the hunting association, so the permission is fragile. The site is closed on Sundays throughout the hunting season, from late September to the end of February. Dogs off the lead are not allowed. Park so that farm machinery can still get through — the track is the only way in to some of the fields — and respect the marked restrictions and the arrangements put in place. In the air, take care not to end up in the lee of the thermal channelled by the little valley between the two launches; it catches pilots out. Top landing is tolerated on the lowest part of the field when it is not under crop, but not once it is really blowing, and when conditions are properly thermic be careful with top landings back on the plateau, where it can trigger sharply. The bottom landing runs the length of the grassy strip between the crops and the base of the slope, from one launch across to the other.

Check conditions before you fly

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