Pick a wing and fly: Testivals 2026

The Stubai Cup traditionally marks the start of the paragliding season in the Alps, with a big testival over a long weekend in early March. Founded more than 30 years ago the festival usually takes place in Neustift im Stubaital, near Innsbruck, Austria.

However, this year it’s not happening – local organisers ParaFly are renovating their school and buildings. “Unfortunately our usual event facilities and the base for Stubaicup 2026 will not be available, which means we will not be able to hold the event this year,” they said. They plan to be back in 2027.

In the meantime, if you are looking for somewhere to test-fly wings early in the season there are several weekend testivals in Europe that might fit the bill. They include:

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Norma Expo

Just under two hours’ drive south from Rome airport this will be the third annual Norma Expo organised by the local club, Piloti Norma. Around 20 local dealers and manufacturers are signed up. What makes it unique is that dealers are set up on launch rather than in the landing. “That’s what makes it so great,” one pilot said. “It all happens on launch – gliders are handed out there and taken back when pilots top-land. It makes for a very quick turnaround.” In case of bad weather it will be rescheduled to the following weekend.

13-15 February, xcmag.info/norma-expo

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Testivol de Pelvoux

Held in the gateway to the beautiful Ecrins in the French Alps, this will be the second Testivol de Pelvoux after a successful first event in 2025. Sixteen companies have signed up so far. The location is the landing field at the bottom of a chairlift, which is perfect for 1,000m top-to-bottoms. It’s a very good price: just €21 a day or a two-day pass for €38. “We’re expecting a big turnout!” say organisers.

7-8 March, xcmag.info/pelvoux

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Test’ival de Parapente

A three-day testival in Samoëns, Haute Savoie, northern French Alps, just over an hour from Geneva. This will be the fourth edition and given good weather should allow for some good spring flying. As well as equipment testing there will be guided hike-and-fly, movie nights and “local beers”.

4-6 April, samoens.com

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Flugschule Jura Thal

The Jura is the range of lower mountains just north of the main Western Alps, along the French/Swiss border. Around a dozen dealers and manufacturer had signed up at the time of writing, making it one of the smaller, more local events. Organised by the local flying school Flugschule Jura in Matzendorf, it’s less than 90 minutes’ travel time from the Swiss cities of Basel or Zurich.

25-26 April, flugschule-jura.ch

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Later in the year

Other testivals later in the year will include:

• The Pyrenees Louron Air Festival in France (14-17 May, facebook.com/Plafvallouron)
• The Flying High Testival in Zillertal, Austria (23-25 June, flying-high.at/testival-2026)
• Probably the biggest of them all and back this year bigger and better than ever, the Super Paragliding Testival in Kössen, Austria (4-7 June, fly-koessen.at)

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This article was first published in Cross Country Issue 263