Chamois

Chamois sits high above the Aosta Valley, with an easy, spacious grassy launch available both halfway up the mountain and right at the summit. Summer flying here is often reliably thermic, with cycles building up the south-facing slope through the day. Getting to launch means a scenic approach in its own right: from Aosta toward Breuil-Cervinia, a cable car from Buissons reaches the village of Chamois, and the local ski lifts continue on to the summit. Down in the valley, most pilots head for one of the official landing zones at Antey-Saint-Andre or Maen, both straightforward and easy to reach; there's also a landing space right under the Buissons–Chamois cable line, but that one is for expert pilots only. Val d'Aosta's terrain funnels its own wind patterns, so it pays to read conditions carefully — strong west wind, foehn effects and afternoon overdevelopment are all things to watch for before committing to a flight.

Launch & conditions

Spacious grassy launch available both halfway up the mountain and at the summit — an easy, straightforward take-off that's often reliably thermic through summer, with cycles building up the south face.

Getting there & local rules

From Aosta head toward Breuil-Cervinia; take the cable car from Buissons up to Chamois village, then continue on the local ski resort lifts to reach the summit.

Local rules & hazards

Avoid flying with a strong west wind or foehn conditions, and keep an eye on the valley winds and the risk of afternoon overdevelopment. The landing directly below the Buissons–Chamois cable car is for expert pilots only — most fly to the official, easy-access landing zones at Antey-Saint-Andre or Maen instead — and watch for power lines in the valley.

Check conditions before you fly

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