San Giacomo di Andrate

San Giacomo di Andrate launches from 1,235 m in Piedmont, Italy, and serves as a natural starting point for a well-known ridge — a long moraine that runs toward Lake Viverone — making it a relatively approachable route into cross-country flying. The takeoff is broad enough for several pilots to launch side by side, flat across the upper section before dropping away more steeply at the edge, so solid glider control matters here even though the site welcomes XC-minded pilots rather than absolute beginners. Southeast, south and southwest winds work the site, and conditions favouring flight often develop later in the day. Getting there is straightforward by road, with a gravel final stretch any ordinary car can manage, and a shuttle sometimes runs from the nearby Cavallaria site when conditions favour this launch instead. Landing options include a dedicated field at Borgofranco, with the Cavallaria landing also reachable if thermal lift and the valley breeze cooperate. Spring days can turn quickly here, so watching how the sky develops through the flight is part of flying this site well.

Launch & conditions

The launch is wide and flat at the top, open enough for several gliders to take off together, but steepens sharply toward the edge — solid glider control is expected. A hang-gliding ramp is also available.

Getting there & local rules

Reached by road with a gravel final stretch manageable in a normal car; a shuttle bus from the nearby Cavallaria flying site sometimes serves this launch when Cavallaria itself is clouded in.

Local rules & hazards

Avoid flying in north or northwest wind, and stay alert for föhn conditions building in. Spring days can turn quickly — watch cumulus development through the flight and land if clouds start overdeveloping. Local weather updates are shared on 146.690 MHz.

Check conditions before you fly

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