Zahi, an entrepreneur carried by the wind... and by the Ancenis region

An incredible journey

I was born in Lebanon. As a child, I wanted to become a fighter pilot. But the wars, the political tensions, the restrictions... all made that dream inaccessible. It didn't matter: I've always had another passion - nature. I was one of the co-founders of an ecological association in Lebanon. I spent a lot of time walking the trails, discovering the riches of my country. I soon decided to make the most of this beauty. I trained to become a tourist guide, and then became a mountain guide. I loved telling other people about the area and I wanted them to discover my beautiful country. What I didn't know was that one day the sky would become my new playground.

I remember one day, leafing through my childhood photo album, I noticed a picture on the cover. All my brothers and sisters had flowers, like in most children's books... and I noticed that there was a sky full of hot-air balloons above me as a baby. After all, the sign was there all along.

The encounter that changed everything

In 2006, a friend of mine married a French woman. He asked me to accompany one of his guests to the airport. Years later, this person became my instructor. But it was in 2010 that I really discovered hot-air ballooning, during a captive flight (static flight on the ground). The pilot handed me the controls. I touched the burner, felt the warm air and the silence. It was a revelation. I had to understand this element.

Leaving for France

In 2012, I left Lebanon to train in France, the home of hot-air ballooning as I see it. I left everything behind: my family, my company, my landmarks. I arrived in Anjou for six months. I stayed with my instructor, worked on the ground and took delivery of the balloon. I discovered the landscapes, the villages, the churches... it was another world for me. In September, I got my pilot's licence. Then one season followed another: 2013, 2014, 2015... and that year I met the woman who was to become my wife.

Falling in love with the Ancenis region

In 2016, I was offered the chance to fly out of Ancenis-Saint-Géréon. I discovered a more technical type of flying: capricious winds, narrow terrain, the influence of the tides... but also a rare beauty. In one hour's flight, I could fly over five different landscapes: the Loire, valleys, vineyards and forests. I fell in love with the area. Today, I live south of the Loire, and I feel very much at home here. This is where I want to develop my projects.

Launching my business, supported by the region

When Nantes Montgolfière ceased operations in 2022, it was inconceivable to me that such a beautiful region would no longer be served by hot-air balloons. So I decided to set up my own business and build my own project. But the challenges were many. That's when I got help from the Espace Entreprendre du Pays d'Ancenis, where I met up with Julie, an acquaintance, who helped me structure my project. I also received support from the Ancenis Initiative Network and the Chambre des Métiers. Christian, my mentor at IPA, was a huge help, without him I wouldn't be where I am today. And then I managed to convince my financial partners. Everything took off from there. The COMPA wanted to promote the Pays d'Ancenis even in the air! My balloon will carry the colours of the Pays d'Ancenis during the rides. Thanks to this local network, I've been able to make my dream come true: to offer hot-air balloon flights departing from the Pays d'Ancenis, from May 2024 with Passion & Vent.

A flight to suit all tastes

I never take more than ten passengers. I want each flight to be an intimate, human experience. Before take-off, we exchange a few words and get to know each other. And by the time we land, we're often already a small group. I point out the Oudon tower, the Folies Siffait, the Domaine des Lys, the Loire... but sometimes we say nothing. Silence is enough. Everyone experiences the flight in their own way, to the rhythm of the wind. My aim is for everyone to find their own magic in flight, amazed by the calm of nature.

A unique sky to fly over, my happy addition

What I love here is that nothing is repeated. One morning, I'm flying in the mist; in the evening, I'm watching the sun set over the Atlantic. The beauty is that you never make the same flight twice. We fly with the wind: we are literally passengers of the wind. We choose the take-off site, but then nature decides. Nature wakes up in the morning, I see nature changing day by day, the plantations grow, the fields prepare, the leaves on the trees change colour, the shadows are different, the noises too.

Here in the Pays d'Ancenis, I find the welcome very friendly. It's funny, for example, during the evening flights, when the sun is still out, it's common for the locals to be out on their terraces, calling out to us during their aperitifs. I also like to share my passion by devoting time to training future pilots. It's this sharing that I appreciate here.

It's a wonderful story that shows how a sincere passion for nature and people, combined with a desire to do things differently, can give rise to a project that is bold, poetic and deeply rooted in its local area. Thank you to Zahi for sharing this inspiring story, with your feet on the ground and your head in the air.