It’s just after 5.30am and still pitch dark when we arrive in Chambley-Bussières. Claude and his team are already there, having finished the morning pilot briefing. Claude is the pilot, joined by Bernadette and two crewmates, both coincidentally named Marc.
We’re cleared for take-off — not always a given. Claude explains that some mornings they make the early drive from Luxembourg only to be grounded by the weather. Today, conditions are favourable. Once the launch field opens, the teams drive out in their 4x4s to find suitable take-off spots.
What follows is a calm, practised routine. Crews unload their gear, unroll the balloon fabric, assemble the baskets and burners, and begin inflation as the first light appears. Within 15 minutes, the sky is scattered with colour. More than 200 pilots from 18 countries are here for the inaugural Enenvol festival, continuing the region’s long ballooning tradition.
In Claude’s team, roles are clearly defined. The balloon, marked in Esch-sur-Alzette’s colours, is ready quickly. Only Bernadette joins Claude in the basket — the camera crew take up the rest of the space. The two Marcs remain on the ground, tracking the flight by car.
Despite the grey skies, the scene above is ablaze with colour. A ladybug balloon here, a wolf there, even a monkey’s head – dozens of creative balloons lift off around us.
Claude has logged over 350 hours of flight time, but no two flights feel the same. While passengers get to soak up the view, the pilot has to stay focused on altitude, wind speed, and instruments. Still, Claude admits the peaceful views over the Lorraine countryside at dawn are worth it. “You always know where you take off, but never where you’ll land,” he says with a grin.
That’s why the two Marcs keep their eyes on the balloon from the ground, ready to meet them at the landing site. It’s not always easy, especially when roads are scarce, but tracking apps make their job a lot easier now.
In the air, the flight goes smoothly. Claude shares that his love for ballooning began 32 years ago, with RTL, no less. He won a competition and took his first flight in the RTL balloon. “That’s when I caught the bug,” he says, and in 2002 he got his pilot’s license.
After about an hour in the air, it’s time to find a landing spot. “Ideally somewhere with harvested fields, no animals, and plenty of space,” Claude says. He spots a suitable patch and brings the balloon down carefully. “You have to hold on tight; there’s always a bit of a jolt,” he adds.
The team moves quickly. The balloon is deflated and packed away in under 15 minutes. By 8am, they’re back at the Chambley base, refuelling and waiting for the evening briefing to see if conditions will allow another flight.
Asked to describe the life of a balloon pilot, Claude shrugs. “You have to be passionate... or a bit mad.” He smiles. “I’m both.”
Above Lorraine, the skies are thick with colour. Balloonists from across Europe have returned to Chambley, even as the event’s future remains entangled in legal and administrative disputes.
Since 1989, gatherings have been held every other summer here, established by Philippe Buron Pilâtre – a descendant of 18th-century aviation pioneer François Pilâtre de Rozier. Over the years, the event evolved into the Grand Est Mondial Air Ballons, one of the world’s largest ballooning festivals.
After a dispute between organisers and regional authorities, the Enenvol festival has replaced the former event. It runs until Sunday, 3 August, maintaining the long-standing ballooning tradition under a new name.
