A 5-Week General Aviation Journey Through the Alps

Over the next five weeks, we’re going to do something special. Instead of the usual long IFR hops or airline routes, this tour is all about slow, scenic flying through some of the most incredible terrain on Earth, the European Alps. This route has been carefully planned using Little Navmap and SkyVector, not just to connect airports, but to follow the valleys and mountain corridors that make alpine flying so unique. You won’t be blasting over the mountains at FL300.

Instead, we’ll be:

• following winding valleys

• crossing historic mountain passes

• flying between towering peaks

• and discovering beautiful alpine airfields along the way

This is the kind of flying where you constantly find yourself thinking: "Wow… look at that view."

The Journey

We’ll begin near the Mediterranean coast of southern France, where the terrain slowly rises toward the Alps.

From there we’ll work our way across some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe:

• 🇫🇷 The French Alps

• 🇨🇭 The Swiss mountain valleys

• 🇮🇹 Northern Italy and alpine lakes

• 🇦🇹 The Austrian Tyrol

• 🇸🇰 Ending in the High Tatras mountains of Slovakia
  

Along the way, we’ll pass near some legendary alpine landmarks like Mont Blanc, massive glaciers, deep valleys, and mountain towns that look like they belong in postcards. Every leg brings something different. Some routes follow wide valleys carved by ancient glaciers, while others wind between steep ridges where terrain awareness becomes part of the adventure.

Aircraft

This tour is designed primarily for A2A aircraft, where the realism really shines when flying through terrain like this.

Recommended aircraft:

• A2A Comanche

• A2A Aerostar 600

• A2A Bonanza

Anything cruising around 120–150 knots will work perfectly. The goal is to enjoy the scenery, not rush past it.

Tour Schedule

Flights will take place:

🗓 Every Friday
🕖 1900Z

Each leg is planned to be around two hours, making it easy for people to join without committing an entire evening. The full journey is spread across five weeks. Legs and routes were carefully planned so they remain comfortable for GA aircraft and avoid unrealistic mountain crossings.

What Makes This Tour Special

The Alps are one of the most spectacular places in the world to fly VFR. Unlike many places where terrain is flat or predictable, the Alps create an environment where navigation, terrain awareness, and scenery all come together.

You’ll see:

• glacier-carved valleys

• snow-covered peaks

• winding alpine rivers

• historic mountain towns

• and some truly unforgettable views

Some sections of the route pass through the same natural corridors that traders and travellers used centuries ago to cross the mountains. In other words, these valleys have been guiding people through the Alps long before aviation existed.

Now we get to experience them from the cockpit.

Multiplayer & Participation

This tour is meant to be a relaxed group flying experience.

You can fly:

• Solo

• With friends

• On your favourite simulator

Multiplayer will be available using:

• UniFly

• JoinFS

so we can all share the skies together. You’re welcome to join one leg or the entire tour.

No pressure just enjoy the flying.

Weekly Flight Briefings

Before each leg, a dedicated forum post will be created with full details, including:

• route information

• airport history

• what scenery to expect

• navigation tips

• SkyVector flight plan

That way, everyone can prepare properly for the flight.

Upcoming Flight

✈️ Alpine Valleys Tour – Week 1

Aircraft: A2A Comanche
Route: LFMU → LFMX
Departure Airport: Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport (LFMU)
Arrival Airport: Montélimar – Ancône Airport (LFMX)
Network: UniFly, JoinFS
Link/route: https://tinyurl.com/262jbxyz

Simulator: Any

📅 Flight Details

Date: Friday 3 April
Start Time: 1900z
Estimated Flight Time: 1 hour 48 minutes

If you enjoy GA flying, mountain scenery, and exploring new places, this tour should be a lot of fun.

Hope to see some of you in the skies over the Alps.

That sounds like it will be a lovely flight! Enjoy :)

Alpine Valleys Tour – Week 1

Right, here we go, "Week 1" of the Alpine Valleys Tour.

This is where it all starts, down near the Mediterranean coast, where everything feels calm, flat, and easy and then slowly, almost without noticing, the terrain begins to rise. This first leg is all about that transition. You’ll literally be flying from coastal France into the doorstep of the Alps. Nothing too crazy yet! Just a really nice, relaxed flight to get everyone settled in before we head properly into the mountains next week.

Flight Information
Aircraft:A2A PA24 Comanche
Route:LFMU → LFMX
Departure Airport:Béziers Cap d'Agde (LFMU)
Arrival Airport:Montélimar – Ancône (LFMX)
Takeoff Time:1900Z
Estimated Flight Time:1 hour 48 minutes
Network:UniFly Multiplayer
Simulator:MSFS 2020 / MSFS 2024 / P3D / X-Plane

🗺 Route
We’ll be following a custom-planned route designed to keep us low-level and scenic. This isn’t a “direct-to autopilot and chill” flight, you’ll want to actually look outside.

SkyVector: SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts
Flight plan:

Departure – LFMU

We kick things off at Béziers, right near the Mediterranean. This area has a ridiculous amount of history, going all the way back to Roman times, and it’s home to the famous Canal du Midi, which you might actually spot from the air.

It’s a perfect starting point:
Flat terrain
Good visibility
Nice easy departure

Basically… a calm start before things get more interesting later in the tour.

Arrival – LFMX

Montélimar sits right in the Rhône Valley, which is one of the main natural routes through France. This valley has been used for centuries as a way to move between the south and north, and now we’re using it the same way in an aircraft.

By the time you’re on approach here, you’ll notice something:
The terrain is starting to change
Hills getting bigger
Mountains starting to appear in the distance

This is where the Alps begin to say hello.

What To Expect On This Flight

This leg is all about the gradual build-up.

You’ll see:
• Mediterranean coastline fading behind you
• Wide open farmland and vineyards
• The Rhône River winds north
• Terrain slowly rising into hills
• First proper views of distant mountains

It’s one of those flights where you’ll look ahead and think:

"That’s where we’re going next week."