The dream of all mankind of flying, flying like a bird, discovering the heavens, was realised in 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers who built a hot air balloon: named after them: a ‘Montgolfière’.
This invention was truly the first step towards the first step of men on the moon, almost two centuries later.
Very soon after the hot air balloon another balloon lighter-than-air was invented by Professor Charles: he built a balloon filled with a gas lighter-than-air: hydrogen.
This type of balloon – a ‘Charlière’- proved to be far more reliable in those days. Only around 1960 the modern propane burner was developed, which would initiate the revival of hot air balloons.

During the 19th century gas balloons were used for scientific purposes, but also for the mere amusement of ‘the happy few’ of those days who made sunny evening flights in a balloon with friends and family.

The turn of the century would bring Europe and the United States of America closer together thanks to ballooning, and more specifically to

James Gordon Bennett

James Gordon Bennett sr. was born in Scotland in 1795, emigrated to the US to become a journalist and subsequently founded the 'New York Herald' in 1835.
His son, James Gordon Bennett jr, was born in 1841. He was largely educated in Europe (where he acquired snobbish and sophistication), but continued in his father’s footsteps, as a newspaper man.
He was ever looking for scoops for the New York Herald. It was James Gordon Bennett who sent Henry Stanley to Africa to find Dr. David Livingstone. (The famous words ‘Dr. Livingstone, I presume?’ first appeared in the New York Herald). James Gordon Bennett also financed an expedition to the Arctic, to Alaska and to Congo.
The least one can say is that he was a very eccentric person.
From 1877 he lived in Europe, mainly on his 300 foot yacht, the Lysistrata, from where he administered the running of the New York Herald.
He ran the New York Herald via transatlantic cable. It was his cable-laying ship that was chartered to recover bodies from the wreck of the Titanic.
It was also James Gordon Bennett who persuaded Marconi to come to New York and introduce wireless communication.
But James Gordon Bennett is best known for his contribution to sports.
He established trophies for races in automobiles, sailing boats, motor boats, airplanes, and…balloons. He was a man with an incredible drive for competition.

In 1905 he charged the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world air sports federation, to run ‘his’ ballooning event.

The race began on 3rd September 1906, in the Tuileries Gardens in Paris.
There is just one main goal to this race: the balloon that flies the longest distance is the winner.

More than 200.000 spectators came to watch the departure of 16 balloons.
French, German, British, American, Belgian, Italian and Spanish teams competed.
The winds directed the balloons towards the Channel. Some pilots chose to land smoothly in France.

Others took the risk to cross the Channel. The American team won the event by landing their balloon across the Channel, in England, Scarborough, 647 km from Paris. The winning team’s home country is afforded the honour of holding the next year’s event.

The competition was interrupted from 1914 to 1919 for the first World War, in 1931 for the financial crash, and after 1939 it was stopped for the second World War.
Only in 1983, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of ballooning the race was started over.

This distance race, by crews of two, is the last legendary race. It is often compared to the America’s Cup for sailing. James Gordon Bennett died in France on 14 May 1918, at the age of 77.
The Herald was soon combined with The Tribune.
His legend is great but nothing proves he ever flew in a balloon….
Near bankruptcy at his death, he had spent some $40 million during his lifetime on yachts, women, horses, champagne, mansions, trophies, cars, coaches, races, and it was all gone. 

All gone? No, THE survivor was the


‘COUPE AÉRONAUTIQUE GORDON BENNETT’