Paragliders dressed as characters from "Top Gun" or characters from the game Angry Birds braved the edge of a cliff and soared into the skies of the French Alps on Saturday September 24 during an annual flying carnival.
The Coupe Icare is one of the biggest free flight events in the world, culminating in the Icarnaval, its aerial carnival.
A hundred paragliders from France and elsewhere took part in this 49th edition, returning after two absences due to the health crisis.
“I'm a little stressed, because we don't know if it's going to fly or not.
But I have experience, it's my fifth or sixth suit, so I'm confident, it's reliable and solid, ”says a paraglider before flying off in his fire truck, in reference to the Paw Patrol cartoon.
A flying costume contest created in 1987
The unpredictable weather grounded the pilots for a few hours, but allowed participants to put on the show in their costumes, much to the delight of the thousands of spectators in attendance.
The small village of Saint-Hilaire has hosted a regular paragliding competition, the Coupe Icare, since the 1970s. In 1987, the costume competition, dubbed Icarnaval, was introduced alongside the main event for entertainment.