Best Conditions
Description
Santa Maria, located in the Grono region of Switzerland, is an excellent paragliding site, particularly suitable for beginners and those learning to fly. This site is frequently used for paragliding pilot exams and offers a variety of flying conditions.
Private vehicles are tolerated at the take-off area as long as they do not obstruct traffic or park on the meadows. The cost for a single ascent for paragliders with flight schools is 10 CHF.
**How to Get There:**
To reach Santa Maria, take the A13 (Bellinzona-San Bernardino) and exit at Grono. Continue towards the village and turn right after the post office towards the shooting range. The meadow in front of the shooting range is designated for landing paragliders and hang gliders. Note that landing is not permitted if shooting activities are ongoing.
The only public transport to Santa Maria is the post bus departing from Grono, in front of the post office. Upon arrival in Santa Maria, you will need to walk for about 30 minutes along the patriziale road. If driving, exit the village towards Bellinzona, turn towards Valle Calanca after a few hundred meters, and follow the signs to Santa Maria. Continue past the village until you reach the take-off area marked by a windsock.
To minimize traffic, please limit the use of private cars, park outside the meadows, or use the minibuses provided by flight schools.
**Take-off:**
The take-off area is equipped with a windsock. The east-facing slope allows for easy launches throughout the morning. In the afternoon, the valley breeze may cause slight crosswinds, but the absence of significant obstacles and the excellent slope gradient make wing control manageable.
**Landing:**
The official landing area is spacious and free of obstacles, making it a favorite spot for local and German-Swiss flight schools.
**Flight Type:**
This site is ideal for beginners and those learning to fly. Thermal flights and cross-country (XC) flights towards the north, including San Bernardino, are possible from early afternoon. You can follow the right ridge of the Mesolcina or cross the valley to the left side. Both routes offer stunning alpine scenery with peaks over 2500 meters.
**Hazards:**
There are no significant hazards, but be aware of the high-voltage power line in front of the take-off area if flying low. A less visible wire is located on the ridge extending from Santa Maria towards the landing area. The valley breeze can be strong in the afternoon, and landing options in Valle Calanca are rare and challenging.
**Additional Information:**
Santa Maria is a gem in sunny Southern Grisons, near Bellinzona, and serves as a starting point for flights in Ticino and the Southern Alps, best enjoyed in spring and autumn. The site does not have a cable car, and the walk to the take-off area takes about 30 minutes. Top landing is possible, and the area is accessible via flight schools or the post bus.
For more details, visit [Santa Maria Paragliding](http://www.cvlt.ch/index.php/siti-di-volo-mainmenu-174/localitainmenu-137/76-santa-maria).
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