There are early risers that are worth it. Those in which the alarm clock rings at 5 in the morning and you almost jump out of bed. With the rheum still in your eye, you embark on the beginning of a unique experience. What are we talking about? What can deserve to break our sacred rest? Well, nothing more and nothing less than a hot air balloon flight.
There can be no more magical experience, than rise through the sky in an ethereal way that will make you think you are floating. There are places like cappadocia , where it is one of its biggest claims, others fly over the Serengeti or the Loire Valley.
But this time we stay close and set course for Columbus Vol, a company with more than 25 years of experience flying over The Garrotxa.
Flying over La Garrotxa with Vol de Coloms.
But first, let's get situated. La Garrotxa is a land of dormant volcanoes, in fact, it is the largest volcanic area in Spain, of leafy forests and natural spaces, of charming medieval villages... And it was precisely here that, in 1992, a group of brothers was established, los Colom (dove in Catalan) , who wanted to publicize the area.
they were able to ride an active tourism, bike ride or car tour company , but they wanted more, they wanted to take flight over this unique area. Thus came the idea of the hot air balloons , which they managed to manufacture with a certified company located in Igualada.
This is how they acquired their first balloon. Now, who of the four brothers was going to blow it up? he touched Toni Colom, who started piloting balloons and who today is still at the foot of the canyon. First it was a balloon, but the demand grew so much that they were acquiring more and they opened their own facilities to give that differential point.
Today they fly practically every day of the year, as long as the weather conditions allow it. and they organize all kinds of experiences, from group flights for adults, with children or for people with special needs, to the possibility of living it in romantic mode just for two, everything from 170 euros per person. Be that as it may, it is something that you have to do at least once in your life. This is how we live it.
Flyer Besalu.
It's 6:30 in the morning. We arrived to its base, located just 15 minutes from the town of Santa Pau and it is still night. Although it is still summer, the cool is evident, so they welcome us with hot coffee and pastries to acclimatize the body.
The emotion on the faces of all those present is more than evident. For the vast majority it is the first time, others already know what awaits them. Many are going to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays. What we all know is that it will be something unique.
Soon, the good begins. Of the three balloons that come out that day, two of them begin to inflate. How do they do that? With the help of a fan of cold air that fills the candle, which will later be heated to be able to raise it.
A unique experience.
The night is giving way to day and between nervous laughter and emotion we climb into the basket. And you rise, almost without realizing it, slowly, as if you weighed nothing. There is no vertigo, there is no fear, only happiness. The pilot checks with Girona airport the maximum altitude at which they are allowed to fly, which is usually between 1,500 and 2,000 meters altitude above sea level.
Up there, when no one speaks or the flashes that heat the air and allow the balloon to fly are not heard, silence is heard and an exceptional peace of mind is achieved.
“This is one of the regions with the most mountains in Catalonia and with the highest density of forests and trees. We are lucky to get out of here and see a large part of Catalonia: the Pyrenees, Montserrat, Montseny and the Gulf of Rosas. We leave from a strategic point from which you can see many points, specifically from the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park ”, our pilot explains to us as we reach altitude.
Santa Margarida, La Garrotxa.
The landscape at the end of summer is completely green, trickster, but what would be the best time to enjoy the landscape at its best? “I have been flying for 20 years and in autumn, specifically at the end of October and the first weeks of November, I still get goosebumps when I see the landscape. Ochres, greens, browns, reds... It's overwhelming. It doesn't last long, but it's beautiful. The fact of having so much different vegetation makes the landscape turn into a thousand colors. Pines, oaks, holm oaks ...”, explains our pilot. We just started and we already want to go back.
Under our feet, the volcanoes that form this unique area begin to appear. There are more than 40 but two stand out among them, the Saint Margaret , which holds a surprise in the center of its crater, a hermitage of Romanesque origin that was rebuilt in the 19th century.
the other is the Croscat volcano, the last to erupt 11,500 years ago , whose volcanic cone is shaped like a horseshoe and is covered with vegetation, except for the part that was excavated, which allows a perfect view of the interior of the volcano.
La Garrotxa in a balloon: unforgettable.
The sun begins to rise over the Gulf of Roses and it's time to toast the flight , a tradition that is fulfilled in each and every one of them.
Why is it done? They say that the first aeronauts in history, Jean-François Pilatre de Rozier and François Laurant d'Arlandes managed to man the Montgolfier brothers' balloon for the first time, specifically on November 21, 1738 in Paris.
Upon landing, they toasted with champagne for such a great feat. In Vol de Coloms this custom is maintained, but it is done in full flight, with a glass of rosé cava and coca de chicharrones.
We fly over Olot, the medieval town of Santa Pau , with its iconic 11th century bridge and its Sant Pere monastic complex, and we see the balloon reflected on the Fluviá river. An hour and a half after starting, we started to descend. It is barely noticeable how the balloon cools and loses height.
La Garrotxa and its villages.
And do not think that the balloon returns to the place from which it took off, remember, it is the wind that guides us, so landings are usually made on clear fields, always in spaces where there is no cultivation, so as not to damage an iota of the environment or the work of the peasants.
We land in a field full of aromatic herbs. Today is here, but every day you land in a different space. A van with a trailer awaits us there to take the balloon to the base and us, with our hearts still heavy from what we have experienced, to enjoy a succulent breakfast.
To regain strength!
Through the tables of the facilities of Vol de Coloms parade wine in porrón, coffees, sausage dishes with bull black and blanc and fuet, tumaca bread... In addition to the fesols of Santa Pau , endemic to the area, accompanied by sausage and aioli.
The feast ends with desserts of The Fageda , the factory that employs the disabled and ratafia, a homemade liquor , which many liken to the Jägermeister, which is made with fruits such as green walnuts, herbs and spices.
you will be fired with a flight certificate. But what you really take from there travels inside, one of those experiences that are never forgotten.