Pic de Brau

Pic de Brau is a small soaring hill in the Aude, reached by a track that climbs up from near Magrie, crosses an old quarry, and threads past a line of wind turbines on its way to a plateau below the peak. Most of a flight here is spent working dynamic lift along the ridge, which keeps things straightforward on a normal day, but the landing field — tucked between vineyards — needs a decent glide angle to reach, so on light-wind days pilots need to hold height in front of launch rather than sinking out early. A military air corridor runs a couple of kilometers north of the site, which is worth knowing before planning any cross-country line in that direction. It's a compact, local-feel site best flown with the wind from the north or northwest.

Launch & conditions

Takeoff is at the end of a track descending to the left of the plateau, about 200m along. Reaching it means driving up from near Magrie, crossing an old quarry, and passing a row of wind turbines.

Getting there & local rules

From about 2km outside Magrie, heading toward Bourrièges (south), take the track that climbs left at the 'le Moulin' sign. It crosses an old quarry, climbs to a plateau, then passes to the right of the wind turbines before reaching Pic de Brau. Landing is a small field between the vineyards — plan to arrive with a reasonable glide margin rather than sinking out early, especially in light wind.

Local rules & hazards

A military air corridor runs about two kilometers north of the site — keep that in mind before flying north or planning any cross-country line in that direction.

Check conditions before you fly

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