Josh

Perhaps you are starting from MRS airport, 55 minutes from
Vinon by car. I think it can provide exactly what you're after.

I believe Serres as a site and Klaus Ohlmann's operation there
indeed offer excellent flying but it is about another hour north of
Vinon. St Auban, the French National gliding centre, offers
excellent courses. But neither is a year-round French gliding
Club. I have not flown at either of these.

The AAVA club at Vinon offers soaring in the same areas as
those two sites. Members can fly either their own glider or one
of the club's at least 20 gliders.

If you contact the club in advance, a dual flight would normally
be possible. The club has everything from ASK13 through
ASK21, Duos, to ASH25. Or take a chance, but probably a god
idea to turn up before the 10.30 briefing.

Steve
(Happily an annual member of the AAVA for last 10 years.)

btw, some do say that it can be hard to "get away" from
Vinon..... this year the AAVA is again leading the French national
ladder "netcoupe" in km flown, the total to date 311,000km.)

http://netcoupe.net/Results/ClubGeneralResults.aspx


At 15:45 10 July 2014, AJM wrote:
Like others, I have no experience with Vinon. I've heard great
things
abou=
t St. Auban, but I believe you must do a week-long course in
order to fly
t=
here. If you're willing to drive just a bit further than St.
Auban, you
ca=
n fly in Serres, where there is a commercial operation run by
Klaus
Ohlmann=
.. I had a wonderful flight there in 2012 in a Janus CM. Their
website is
=
http://www.quovadis-aero.com/?_Lang=3D_en