Les Montgolfiades de Rocamadour Featured in
The Rocamadour Hot Air Balloon Festival takes place every year on the last weekend of September. Every year, more than 20,000 locals and tourists come here to see the show. So let's see what's so attractive about this event!
What is it?
The Montgolfiades of Rocamadour is a two-day celebration, named after French engineers who first successfully flew a hot-air balloon in 1793. Over 30 balloons of all shapes and sizes, including cartoon and Disney characters, vehicles, and buildings, will fill the sky above the Canyon de l'Alzou and float gracefully along the castle towers. Be sure to bring your camera because it's a great place to take pictures, and you're sure to get some great ones.
There are two balloon launches each day of the event. The sunrise flights take off early in the morning, around 8 am and again in the late afternoon, around 5 pm, when the sun starts to descend.
Tips
You can engage in one of the many entertainment options in Rocamadour or just go to the old city for lunch or drinks while you wait for the balloons to fill the sky. The finest places to watch the balloons are from l'Hospitalet, the village above Rocamadour, and the fields at the bottom of the Alzou canyon.
There are many people at the event, but it's still easy to find a parking spot—just follow the signs. There is no admission fee to the event, so don't worry about tickets. However, please keep in mind that the city gets extremely busy this time of year, so you may want to book your accommodation beforehand.
