iFLY in Bouc-Bel-Air – Fulfilling a Dream of Flying

On November 23, 2018, laying the first stone of iFly Aix-Marseille. An unusual building with a height of 22 meters.

With its rush of adrenaline and excitement, indoor skydiving is set to become the next leisure sensation in Provence. Already present in Paris and Lyon, iFLY has just laid the first stone of its latest wind tunnel at the Decathlon Village in Bouc-Bel-Air, between Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. This leisure activity, open to all, is booming in France. Whether with friends or family or for a corporate event, from spring 2019 everybody will be able to try this new high-flying activity at the new iFLY Aix-Marseille. The center will be open 7 days a week and will be manned by a team of around 30 persons.

What better location could iFly have chosen to set up its third wind tunnel in France? The new center is being set up immediately adjacent to the Decathlon complex at Bouc-Bel-Air, a site already well known by sports enthusiasts and with easy access from the major highways.

The laying of the first stone on November 23, 2018, in the presence of Richard MALLIÉ, mayor of Bouc-Bel-Air, vice-president of the Aix-Marseille Provence Metropolitan Authority, local councilor and president of the SDIS 13, heralds the opening of a new focal point for all airborne sports fans and for adventurous people young and old wishing to try something new and exciting.

Born in the USA, Growing in Provence

The indoor skydiving concept started out in 1998 in Orlando, Florida, the idea of Texan lawyer and amateur parachutist Alan Metni. Since those early days, iFLY’s growth has been spectacular, with more than 100 centers operating today in 14 countries. Its vertical wind tunnels, designed, built and operated under various brand names, have allowed more than 20,000,000 people to fly in centers all over the world, 80 of which operate under the iFly brand.

The first iFly centers in France opened in 2016, in Lyon and then Paris. In 2019 it will be the turn of iFly Aix-Marseille, overseen by its president Philippe DECOT and general manager Olivier COLOMB, experts in finance and real-estate respectively, who already manage a number of leisure and sports centers.

Substantial Investment for an Extraordinary Building

More than €9M is being invested in the construction of a huge, 22m-high building equipped with the latest-generation blower system. Whether beginner, experienced or expert, each skydiver is supervised by qualified instructors who all hold a CQP (Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle) diploma issued by the Ministry of Sport. The building itself conforms to all safety requirements and has several areas set aside for tuition and physical preparation. There will also be areas for seminars and other B2B activities.

The choice of the Bouches-du-Rhône was an obvious one for the management team. Firstly, it extended the company’s geographic coverage of the French market and, secondly, fulfilled demand from a large customer base. Come and fulfil a dream of flying at iFLY Aix-Marseille!  Open to everyone aged 5 upwards… and upwards, and upwards!