First Balloon Flight
On a windy day in Versailles in September 1783, a hot air balloon was launched under the watchful eyes of King Louis XVI and the future president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. There were no people on board, but a sheep, a duck, and a rooster were. The balloon was beautifully adorned: azure blue, decorated with French lilies and golden suns in honor of the king. The balloon floated for fifteen minutes before a gust of wind ended the journey. The ‘passengers’ survived the rough landing and made history. The first unmanned balloon flight was a success!
The first manned attempt came just two months later, on November 21. This time, with a hot air balloon made by two French brothers, Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier.
From the center of Paris, the balloon took off and floated for twenty minutes. The crowd was ecstatic. Ballooning was born.
What Preceded the First Balloon Flight
Annonay, a small village south of Lyon in France, 1783. It’s cold outside, and Joseph Montgolfier, the son of a large and wealthy paper manufacturer, warms his hands by the fireplace. His attention is drawn to a garment hanging to dry by the same crackling fire. The warm air escaping from the open fire causes the shirt (or, according to some, his wife’s skirt) to billow. This gives Joseph an idea.
Together with his brother, he conducts several experiments until they dare to give a first public demonstration on June 4, 1783. A large linen sack, covered with paper from their father’s paper factory, is lifted up to 900 meters in the air. The brothers achieve this by lighting a fire of wool and straw under the linen sack, which then rises due to the created hot air.
Several tests and demonstrations followed until, on September 19, the first hot air balloon really took off, with some animal passengers. In the first manned flight on November 21 of that same year, the brothers did not take part themselves. They were merely spectators, while a marquis and an ambitious scientist were decorated with medals after that first flight. However, they still celebrated their success: ballooning was invented.
Prisoners as Guinea Pigs
The Montgolfier brothers were not on board on November 21, 1783, during the first balloon flight. Before that momentous balloon flight, no human had ever gone so high into the air. Thus, no one had any idea how the human body would react to that altitude. Combine that with the fear that such a fragile first balloon might crash, and you can understand that people were not eager to take part in that first balloon flight.
However, Louis XVI had a solution. He decided that two condemned prisoners should take place in the balloon. If they didn’t survive the flight, it wouldn’t matter much in his eyes, as they were already sentenced to death. If they did survive, he would reward them. The thought of ordinary prisoners being welcomed as heroes after a successful balloon flight horrified the scientist François Pilâtre de Rozier. No, he would rather take the risk himself and be received with honors after his successful flight. Together with the marquis d’Arlandes, he manned the first manned balloon flight. And the prisoners who were supposed to serve as guinea pigs? They didn’t have to mourn, as they were pardoned by the king.
Champagne After Landing
After receiving all the honors, the marquis d’Arlandes and Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier were true heroes. The king of France was ecstatic, what a heroic deed these men had performed. Louis XVI decreed that from now on, anyone who participated in such a balloon flight would become a baron or baroness of the land where the balloon landed. A tradition was born.
To celebrate the upcoming baron or baroness title, the passengers of the balloon brought a bottle of champagne on board. However, when the balloon eventually landed, an angry farmer rushed over. He was not pleased with the unannounced landing in his field. To make amends, the passengers offered their champagne to the farmer. A second tradition was born.
A Tradition Still Honored Today
Although it is no longer possible to declare yourself a baron or baroness of a piece of land, the traditions of ballooning are still honored today at CuliAir, albeit in a modified way. After enjoying the balloon flight, the passengers receive a bit of grass from the landing field on their heads after landing. That piece of land, on their head, is baptized with the traditional champagne, and thus you become a bit of a baron or baroness of your own piece of land. A fun nod to an age-old tradition.
Up in the Air Without Fear of Heights
Such a champagne baptism marks the end of an exciting experience. But those who suffer from acrophobia and think that a balloon flight with a champagne baptism is not an option are in luck. In a hot air balloon, you don’t experience a fear of heights.
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the marquis d’Arlandes must have held their breath in 1783 as they rose to great heights. But they didn’t experience acrophobia. Because a hot air balloon is completely detached from the ground, your body doesn’t perceive the height. This is different when you stand on a tall ladder, where your whole body is aware of the fact that you are at a great height.
A hot air balloon gradually rises while the ground remains horizontal. Your brain does not perceive the height, so there is no fear of it. That’s a relief because everyone can enjoy a balloon flight. It’s no secret that even some hot air balloon pilots have a fear of heights. They prefer flying in a hot air balloon at 2 kilometers altitude rather than standing on a 2-meter ladder.
So don’t hesitate to follow in the footsteps of the Montgolfier brothers, François Pilâtre de Rozier, and the marquis d’Arlandes.
Combine an unforgettable journey in a hot air balloon with a exquisite dinner and finish with champagne. One thing is certain: a flight with CuliAir is an experience you will never forget.