Aéronautes de Monaco take to Italian skies for 35th International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Modovi

It’s a three-day event celebrating sport and spectacle. 

The 35th International Hot Air Balloon Festival was held in Italy from Saturday 4 January to Monday 6 January 2025. It took place near the Mondovi Aeroclub and, like every year, the event attracted thousands of visitors.

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Over 30 hot air balloons from all over the world left the ground from the “Corso Inghilterra”. Among them was Alain Cruteanschii’s beloved Monaco balloon, which rose to an altitude of around 1,000 metres at times.

“Since we’re so close to Mondovi, I think it’s important for the Monaco balloon to attend what is, historically, the first festival of the year. It’s a great moment of community and interaction with our Italian friends,” explains the president of the Aéronautes de Monaco club.

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Thanks to glorious weather conditions, the Aéronautes de Monaco were able to fly over Mondovi three times between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening. Flights always follow the same routine, with the team bringing the balloon to the launch site along with the tools required to set it up, unfolding the Monaco balloon, inflating it and starting to heat it up, then taking off with the pilot and passengers in the gondola.

One of the most eagerly anticipated moments of the weekend was the ‘night show’, with the balloons inflated and lit up at night, a beautiful sight. Other events included a gala evening on Monday to conclude the festival.