Monte San Giacomo – Breccanecca

Monte San Giacomo – Breccanecca is a low, easy-access site above a river valley in the Ligurian Apennines at 632 m, facing southeast through southwest — a favourite for thermal and soaring flights. The take-off is only about a 10-minute walk on a flat, well-maintained track, but the approach road is chained off and private beyond that point, so cars should stop before the barrier rather than risk trouble with the landowner. The site's real challenge is the landing: it sits down along a tight, narrow stretch of river shore that isn't visible from take-off, so first-time visitors should fly with a local pilot rather than go in blind. Wind at the landing can turn gusty, an electrical wire crosses the field, and the river itself needs checking before flying — when it's running high, the usable landing area shrinks and a glider going into fast water is genuinely dangerous. Treat those hazards as non-negotiable rather than route-finding details.

Launch & conditions

Take-off is a flat, well-maintained 10-minute walk. The access road continues past a chain as a private road — don't drive beyond it. Landing is on a tight, narrow river shore not visible from launch, so fly here with a local pilot the first time; an electrical wire crosses the landing field and the wind there can turn gusty.

Local rules & hazards

Check the river's water level and flow before flying — when it's running high the usable landing shrinks, and a glider caught in fast-moving water is dangerous.

Check conditions before you fly

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