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| MANAGEMENT |
PILOTS |
OFFICE TEAM |
Here you can meet the France Montgolfière team.
 David La Beaume Managing Director |
David’s route to France twenty years ago from New Jersey, was in the form of an exciting transatlantic sailing adventure – a mission to bring a yacht over to Europe. And then he stayed. In deciding to settle in Burgundy David infact was returning to the very region of his ancestral roots. He fell in love with the way of life, the traditions and local culture. His passion for boats lead him to begin his Burgundian life as captain of luxury barge hotels. It was during this time spent on the waterways of France that his life turned towards ballooning – the idea of providing flights for his barging clients was born and he worked enthusiastically to make it become a reality. Whilst working on the canals he met his future partner Mark. Having obtained his commercial licence David spent some time gaining flying experience in Kenya before returning to Burgundy in 1986. Together with Mark he set up the present France Montgolfières Balloon Company – a company entirely devoted to hot air ballooning in France. For the last 18 years, he has never stopped adding to the range of products & possibilities offered by France Montgolfières, always with great enthusiasm. David is the Managing Director of the company. |
 Mark Dworski Technical Director |
Mark has been flying balloons for over twenty years. His first meeting with aerostats was in his home town of Hay-on-Wye (U.K.) with Jerry Turnbull. In 1984, licence in hand, it was in Gstaad in Switzerland where Mark spent the next five years flying in the Alps and developing techniques and equipment. During the off season periods he worked on exclusive adventure ballooning trips on different continents :– Africa Asia, Europe and the Americas. Eventually settling in Burgundy he joined his already established ballooning friend David La Beaume and together they set up France Montgolfières Balloon Company. Whichever form of ballooning: flying people, location filming or a publicity shot, Mark continues to share his enthusiasm and passion for ballooning with others. As a pilot instructor and examiner he enjoys passing on his knowledge and expertise to new would-be balloon pilots. The maintenance and technical base (or as he calls it “the shed”) is his domain: Mark is Technical Director of France Montgolfières. |
 Jane Adamson-Janvier Partner France Montgolfières |
Jane is British and trained as a zoologist. Twenty years ago she came to France for a 6 week job with a Balloon company – and stayed. She completed further training in the U.S. and her passion for flying took her to Australia, Russia, Egypt, Djibouti and throughout Europe including the Swiss Alps. Returning to France she based herself in the Loire Valley and married a Frenchman. She is the first female commercial pilot in France (2000 flying hours). Her solid experience of the region and her joie de vivre have proved invaluable. |
Here are the pilots you could be flying with when you chose France Montgolfières.
( Important: France Montgolfières pays pilots by month, not by flight, descisions to fly are taken with security and passenger comfort in mind, not profitability.)
Flight hours are in Hot Air Balloons only
( Important: France Montgolfières pays pilots by month, not by flight, descisions to fly are taken with security and passenger comfort in mind, not profitability.)
Flight hours are in Hot Air Balloons only
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Pierre Barré, 2700 hours Pierre started flying in 1987, since then he has flown in France, Morocco, Myanmar, French Polynesia and Turkey. He flies in the Loire Valley. |
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Adrian Kriesi, 2500 hours Adrian first discovered ballooning in the Loire Valley in 1994 . He followed in house training to become a pilot and has since flown in France, Switzerland, Egypt Mexico et Australia. He flies in the Paris region. |
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Philip Haslett 1300 hours Philip discovered ballooning in 1987, he obtained his licence in 1991 and has since been flying across France and Switzerland. He flies in Provence. |
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Fredéric Thevenot |
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Thierry Travers 1500 hours Thierry discovered ballooning in his native Belgium, 11 years ago. Since then he has flown in Belgium, Namibia and France. He flies in the Loire Valley. |
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Maxwell Duncomb 1800 hours Max started his ballooning career in Burgundy in 1989. He has flown in France, Germany, Sri Lanka, America, and many more besides! He flies in Provence. |
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René Ramel 1200 hours René discovered ballooning in switzerland, where he obtained his licence in 1986 at the age of 17 making him the youngest pilot in France and Switzerland at he time! In 1998 he broke the Swiss altitude record at 11'440M. René is also a helicopter pilot. He has flown in France, UK, Italy, Morocco and Switzerland. He flies in the Auvergne. |
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Mark Dworski 1800 hours Mark Mark has been working with balloons for nearly 30 years, he has flown across the globe, in Europe, Africa, North and South America and in Asia. He is also a balloon instructor and examiner. He flies on all the take of sites of France Montgolfières. |
THE OFFICE TEAM
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Magali Murciano, Reservations | ||
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Marie-Jeanne Boyer, Accountant |
