Sospel – Agaisen

Sospel–Agaisen sits above the town of Sospel, tucked into the Bevera valley about 40km northeast of Nice, right where the Alpes-Maritimes meet both the Mercantour National Park and the Italian border — on a clear day the view takes in Mont Mangiabo to the north, the Italian border to the east, the Mediterranean to the south, and even Saint-Tropez to the west. The Agaisen launch faces southwest and is known locally as 'The Lift' for its big, reliable thermals; pilots have used it to fly cross-country all the way to Saint-André, roughly 75km away. The approach road is sealed the whole way up and manageable in any vehicle, so getting to launch is easy. The catch is the landing: valley wind funnels through turbulently here, the gradient is strong, and conditions get genuinely difficult on summer afternoons — this isn't a site to fly into on a bad-timing whim, and pilots without solid experience should give afternoons in high summer a wide berth.

Launch & conditions

The Agaisen launch faces southwest and is known locally as 'The Lift' for its big, reliable thermals — pilots have flown XC from here to Saint-André, roughly 75km away.

Getting there & local rules

Reach Sospel from the Menton exit of the A8 via the D2566, or take the RD2204 from Nice. In Sospel, follow the road signposted to the college; a left turn from there climbs to Mont Agaisen on a fully sealed road manageable in any vehicle.

Local rules & hazards

Flying inside the Mercantour National Park itself is not allowed unless you're more than 1,000m above the ground — park wardens enforce this rule seriously, so keep that margin in mind near the park boundary. The landing also carries a strong valley wind and steep gradient that turns genuinely turbulent, especially on summer afternoons, when pilots without solid experience should stay away.

Check conditions before you fly

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