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The Jean-Baptiste Salis Flying Museum
In 1909 Louis Blériot flew over the Channel. Three years later, Jean-Baptiste Salis then aged 16, took off in the "Libellule" (Dragonfly) which he himself had restored and flew into the pages of history as the first person to fly over Mont Blanc. In 1953, this aeroplane fanatic restored an old Blériot and flew over the Channel again. On his death his son took up the torch and the Association and Museum saw the light of day. Today, a whole gang of volunteers and enthusiasts spend their weekends with their hands in grease and perform other tasks bringing ancient planes back to life. Thanks to them, bits and pieces of 75 propeller-driven aircraft have now become, through sheer perseverance, the planes with old-fashioned silhouettes that you see at the museum, making it one of the largest flying museums in Europe. Visitors can follow step by step the beginnings of aviation, with two Blériots from 1909 and 1913 and a Morane and a Caudron from 1913-1914, and tremble at the exploits of pilots during the 1914-1918 war at the controls of their Fokker Triplans, Albatrosses, Spads and SE 5s. Then they can admire the acrobatic planes from the inter-war years and the early airliners before becoming ecstatic over the last propeller-driven fighters. The most extraordinary thing is that all of these planes are airworthy. At the end of your tour, if the weather allows, you can watch an acrobatic display by old Coucous...
Note: the Association that runs the Museum organises at Whitsun the finest air show in France, devoted to aviation in the past and with planes flying in from all over Europe.
Open weekends, in winter from 14.30 to 17.00 and in summer from 14.30 to 18.00.
Closed on Thursdays.
Admission:
Adults full rate: 5 € to 6 €, children 2 € to 3 €
