Coupe Icare, also known as the

Icarus In Greek mythology, Icarus (; grc, Ἴκαρος, Íkaros, ) was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth of Crete. After Theseus, king of Athens and enemy of Minos, escaped from the labyrinth, King Minos suspe ...

Cup, is an annual festival of free flight held between Saint-Hilaire (on the border of

Chartreuse Mountains The Chartreuse Mountains (french: massif de la Chartreuse ) are a mountain range in southeastern France, stretching from the city of Grenoble in the south to the Lac du Bourget in the north. They are part of the French Prealps, which continue a ...

) and

Lumbin Lumbin () is a commune in the Isère department in southeastern France. Population Twin towns Lumbin is twinned with: * Vipava, Vipava, Slovenia, since 2005 See also *Communes of the Isère department * Funiculaire de Saint-Hilaire du To ...

(in the valley of

Isère Isère ( , ; frp, Isera; oc, Isèra, ) is a landlocked department in the southeastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Named after the river Isère, it had a population of 1,271,166 in 2019.France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

). The festival typically lasts four days and is held in the early autumn. Coupe Icare is best known for its Concours de déguisements (

Masquerade Flight Masquerade or Masquerader may refer to: Events * Masquerade ball, a costumed dance event * Masquerade ceremony, a rite or cultural event in many parts of the world, especially the Caribbean and Africa * Masqueraders, the performers in the West ...

contest), in which

paraglider Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'po ...

and

hang glider Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...

pilots fly in costume to compete for prizes. Coupe Icare features aerial acrobatics,

hang gliders Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...

, paragliders, and

hot air balloons A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries p ...

. In addition to flight competitions, live entertainment, and street performances, the festival offers children's activities and a flight museum. It is held in conjunction with a commercial exposition and a film festival. Originally organized by Tourist Office of St Hilaire in 1974, it is now organized by Icare Festival Organisation (IFO), a non-profit founded in 1989 for the purpose of managing Coupe Icare. The 2012 Coupe Icare was held on September 20–23.2012 Coupe Icare
coupe-icare.org site

Pictures

Image:Looping_delta_hv.JPG, High velocity hang-glider Image:Acrobatie_parapente_1.JPG, paragliding acrobatics Image:Acrobatie_parapente_2.JPG, paragliding acrobatics #2 Image:CoupeIcare05.jpg, Much paragliding in the sky Image:CoupeIcare05 velo.jpg, costume contest

References

External links

Coupe Icare Photos
Hang gliding Festivals in France Sports competitions in France {{France-sport-stub