News and stories from Ballonteam Westhoek
Seasonal updates, weather tips, stories from our passengers and background on everything you can spot from the basket — this is where we gather it all.
Eyes in the sky: balloons and Zeppelins over the front
Kite balloons as the eyes of the artillery and a Zeppelin bound for Poperinge: balloons over the front around Ypres, 1914-1918.
A beautiful finale to the 2026 ballooning season
On October 11 we flew several balloons from the Lovie in Proven over Ypres to the Palingbeek, with views far out to sea.
The last flights of the season
Our season runs until the end of October. You may still fly this year — and a gift voucher is valid for 24 months.
The passionate team behind our balloons
Behind every flight stands a passionate team of pilots and ground crew. Meet the people behind the balloons.
Balloon ride Ypres: what you see from the air
The Cloth Hall, the Menin Gate, the Heuvelland and traces of WW1: this is what you see on a balloon ride over Ypres.
Not sure yet how many you'll be? Book anyway
Order a gift voucher or book for a smaller group, and extend it later — even on the day of the flight itself.
What you can still see of the First World War from the balloon
A hundred years on, the front line is still legible in the landscape — if you know where to look.
What our passengers say after their first balloon ride
A selection of the reactions we hear most often after landing — from letting go of the ground to the glass of champagne afterwards.
When is the weather good enough to fly?
Why we sometimes only decide on the morning itself, and which weather factors weigh most heavily for us.
The 2026 flying season is open
From April to October we're regularly flying over the Westhoek and Hainaut again. What's new this season, and the quickest way to lock in a date.