Castejón de Sos

Castejón de Sos lies in the Benasque valley of the Aragonese Pyrenees, so renowned among pilots that its airspace is nicknamed the valley of the sky. Steep valley walls and reliable thermals funnelling up from the plain have made it one of Spain's finest cross-country paragliding venues.

The launch sits on the ridge above town, and from it pilots climb in strong thermals to fly long routes deep into the high Pyrenees, with the glaciated Maladeta massif and Aneto, the range's highest peak, on the horizon. Tandem flights give beginners a taste of the big mountain air with a qualified pilot, while the site's real reputation rests on serious cross-country and competition flying — the conditions can be powerful and the terrain committing, rewarding experience. A broad valley floor provides ample landing space.

The Benasque valley is a mountain-sports hub beyond flying, with hiking and climbing into the Posets-Maladeta natural park, canyoning in the side gorges, and skiing at nearby Cerler in winter. The stone villages and the elegant town of Benasque give a pleasant alpine base with good food.

The prime flying season is summer, roughly June to September, when the thermals are strongest and the high launches clear of snow; mornings are gentler, midday and afternoon deliver the muscular lift cross-country pilots seek. Pyrenean weather changes fast, so keep a flexible schedule and carry warm layers for altitude. Castejón is a relaxed, pilot-friendly village with schools and shuttles, ideal for a week of mountain flying.