Coupe Icare 2025: 16-21 September
The world's largest free-flight festival returns with a six-day long celebration of air sports at the Coupe Icare
16 September, 2025, by Cross Country | Photos: Coupe IcareThe world’s largest free-flight festival returns this week, with a six-day long celebration of air sports at the Coupe Icare in St Hilaire du Touvet, France.
The event runs from 16-21 September 2025 and is based in the villages of Saint-Hilaire and Lumbin, near Grenoble, and is expected to attract nearly 100,000 visitors from across the globe.
Born in 1974 from the passion of a handful of friends, the Coupe Icare has since grown into an international phenomenon blending sport, culture, and imagination. Today, it is both a world-class gathering for pilots and a family-friendly spectacle.
Free flight is at the heart of the festival, with more than 600 demo and fancy dress pilots expected to take part over the week. They will take to the skies in paragliders, hang gliders, wingsuits, ultralights, and hot-air balloons, all flying against the dramatic backdrop of the Chartreuse mountains.
For spectators the highlight is without doubt the Icarnaval, a one-of-a-kind show where pilots launch wearing wildly inventive costumes. Over the decades, everything from dragons and dinosaurs to giant flowerpots have taken flight, turning the sky into a stage for surreal comedy and artistry.
On the ground, the Icare du Cinéma is an international aerial film festival which will screen more than 30 films. Meanwhile, Icare Kids offers workshops and activities for children, from kite-building to falconry displays.
The huge Icare Expo, now in its 40th year, gathers 150 exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations in paragliding, paramotors, and light aviation. Pilots will also have the chance to try out new equipment during Icare Test.
Beyond the spectacle, the Coupe Icare is a “triumph of community spirit” organisers say. Organised by the nonprofit Coupe Icare.org and powered by 1,700 volunteers, the festival channels its proceeds into local associations and fuels the regional economy.
President Françoise Roux and vice-president Eric Belleville said: “The Coupe Icare is far more than an event – it’s a living legend where imagination quite literally takes flight.”
The Coupe Icare runs 16-21 September. Cross Country will be there throughout the event – follow us on Instagram for the latest stories, and make sure to sign up for our free In The Core newsletter on Friday which will be packed with the latest new gear releases.
Key dates for this year’s Coupe Icare include:
- 16-17 September: Icare Test, a chance to test fly paragliders for qualified pilots. Pre-registration required (€25).
- 16-21 September: Icare du Cinéma, a five-day film (€10-15)
- 18-21 September: Icare Expo, a huge trade expo spanning two big marquees
- 20-21 September: Icare Carnival, the famous flying fancy dress parade
Flying for non-event pilots during the Coupe Icare is tightly controlled and requires pre-registration, please check the website for details. This includes hike-and-fly pilots. The event is cashless and this also requires registration and loading up a ‘cashless bracelet’.
