France Montgolfières

An encounter with David La Baume, founder of France Montgolfières.

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Burgundy from another perspective

David La Baume is American, but a true lover of France, a land that he discovered essentially when he chose to become a hot-air balloon pilot. He set up bases in various regions of France -including Loire Valley and Champagne- and explains us why Burgundy was an obvious choice.

What is so special about hot-air ballons?

“I had a crush on balloons as soon as I saw the first one. Contrary to helicopters, balloons are not noisy at all and consume a small amount of fuel. It’s quite easy to manipulate, you just let the wind guide you! Generally speaking, each balloon flight is a source of unexpected encounters. That’s what’s so magical about it, you never know neither who you’re going to meet nor where you’re going to land. You can visit villages that you would have never visited otherwise.

France is an ideal country for balloons. The landscapes are amazing, so different from one region to another. There are so many “châteaux” here, I don’t think people realize that! The only way to really see it is to observe from above. Some “châteaux” owners even let us take off from their grounds, which are perfect for us as their tall trees which offer the best protection we can get from the wind.”

Burgundy From Above Experience

The magic of Burgundy in the air

Let's fly

Every flight is a new discovery. I remember some places where we landed that are completely inaccessible by car.

David La Baume

Why did you choose to set up a base in Burgundy?

“From a technical standpoint, Burgundy is an appropriate land for hot-air balloon flights. The wind speed is perfect and the landscape is amazing. From above, you can see almost the whole Côte d’Or and most of the Climats that compose the scene. There is no better way than this to really understand what “terroir” means. It’s like having a real wine map under your eyes. You can also see the mountain areas, helping to understand why there are so many “Côtes” in the region.

I met Michael Baum, owner and CEO of Château de Pommard, three years ago, and we immediately understood each other. We share the same values and the same vision. The produits that we offer are each, in their own way, extraordinary and unique. And we want to share the same messages to our clients and visitors. The Burgundy-From-Above experience was so obvious, to help people understand the diversity and the charm of Burgundy’s terroirs. This is such a fascinating region! When I suggested this idea to Michael, he said yes very quickly and this is how we ended up with these two wonderful balloons branded with Château de Pommard.”

Read the full interview with David La Baume here.

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