World Champion Paramotor pilot Mathieu Rouanet, photographer Gavin Zahner, and Matt, spent a week motoring around some of the most beautiful regions of western France last week during a 400km 'Tour de paramotor' from Nantes to Toulouse. Mathieu has known for years that paramotoring is an incredible form of flight and that most free flight pilots have not been converted to mainly because of their prejudices against the noisy machines and the image of paramotoring in general. The truth is that we also used to think that way. However, the truth is also that it can be incredible fun. Paramotoring opens up a vast array of new possibilities in flying, more than most pilots can imagine. The ability to launch from virtually anywhere and fly where you want to whenever you want, even if there is no lift, is a major advantage!

During our trip we landed in a Bordeaux vineyard and were invited to taste wine, we flew along the Loire River valley and were given a tour of a network of cave dwellings carved into the chalky cliffs, we dragged our toes in the Atlantic and in the canal du midi, and we enjoyed the spectacle of the countless chateaus and walled villas that are mostly invisible when viewed from the earth`s surface. At right are a few images from our adventure.