About the Atlas Mountains and coast takeoff list

⚠ All locations come from where flight tracks uploaded to XContest start, not from surveyed launch sites, so they are approximate. Contact local pilots or clubs before visiting; unannounced visits can jeopardize site access. Airspace restrictions and local rules apply. Data provided as-is, without warranty of any kind.

Takeoffs where flights uploaded to XContest begin, mainly in Morocco (the Atlantic coast, the Anti-Atlas around Tafraout and Kerdous, the High and Middle Atlas), and some in northern Algeria, northern Tunisia and around Dakhla (Western Sahara). Unlike the rest of this map they come from a manual search, not from the full XContest data, and they show no XC performance. The other markers on the map are the regular XC map.

How the list was made

XContest flight lists (flights starting within a radius of chosen points) were searched by hand; 42 result pages were saved.
They hold 1,561 flight rows, 902 distinct flights. Only where each flight starts is used.
The starts are grouped with the rules of the main map: 35 m circles, circles up to 70 m apart joined into one takeoff. Here a takeoff needs only two track starts (main map: five per circle).
A takeoff found within 35 m of a takeoff on the main map is left out: it is already there.
Takeoffs within 8 km are grouped into sites around the one with the most track starts found, as on the main map: 94 takeoffs in 52 sites.
No minimum score and no year filter. Names are the takeoff names pilots gave on XContest. Processed on 2026-11-13.

Limits

The search was manual, not systematic: only the areas searched and the flights the searches returned are included. Takeoffs elsewhere, or with few uploaded flights, are missing.
An XContest search lists a limited number of flights, so even flights above any given score may be missing. The track-start counts show only what the searches found, not how much a place is flown.
Positions are where recorded tracks begin, not surveyed launches; a track often starts before or after the actual launch.
Two track starts are little evidence: a point may be a one-off launch, a landing or a hike-and-fly stop.
Names are as pilots typed them: some are cut short (…), misspelt or missing.
No XC performance, seasons or elevations; the WPT file has elevation 0 as a placeholder.
A snapshot, not updated automatically.
Mostly Morocco: Algeria, Tunisia and Western Sahara were searched around only a few points.

Caution

This list is not a guide to flyable sites. Before flying, ask local pilots, clubs or schools whether a takeoff is in use and safe, and check local rules, airspace (airports, military areas), protected areas and border zones. Coastal soaring depends on wind strength and direction; inland sites need a plan for heat, strong thermals and retrieves. You fly at your own risk.

Rules and safety

Researched on 14 November 2026 from public sources (listed below). Rules change and are applied unevenly: check with the authorities before you travel.

Authorisation in Morocco

Every paragliding flight needs a prior authorisation from the civil aviation authority (DGAC, Ministry of Transport), under a technical instruction of 2010. Apply at least 30 days ahead.
The application (sent directly to the DGAC since February 2024): a signed commitment (annex 2), an overflight and landing request (annex 4), and copies of your passport, pilot licence (IPPI 3/4 or national licence) and third-party liability insurance.
In practice permits are rarely issued. A nationwide suspension from November 2023 was reported; in 2024 the DGAC refused even trainees of the Moroccan federation; in February 2026 pilots received only a stamped application, not a permit.

Enforcement

Provinces have closed sites (Aguergour in 2014; Tiznit province after a fatal paramotor accident). Police stop pilots at some sites; elsewhere flying is tolerated.
Customs at Marrakech airport have held the gliders of pilots without a written permit until their departure (pilot reports, 2024 and 2026).
Radio transmitters need an import approval (ANRT) and can be held at customs; consumer drones are banned from import.
Flying is forbidden near airport approaches, military and strategic sites and nature reserves, and suspended while nearby military zones are active.

Insurance and rescue

Without an authorisation your insurance may not cover you: the French federation (FFVL) told pilots so in 2024. Ask your insurer in writing before the trip.
Rescue is limited: the Gendarmerie royale handles mountain rescue, but helicopters are hard to get, and private air ambulances are expensive. Take insurance with helicopter rescue and repatriation, and do not fly alone.
Tandem flights: there is an informal sector of unqualified and often uninsured tandem pilots. Ask for the pilot's qualification and the passenger insurance.

Weather and hazards

Coast (Aglou, Nid d'Aigle, Plage Blanche, Dakhla): soaring works only in the right wind, mostly the north-west sea breeze, best from October to April. Strong or crossing wind is dangerous at the cliffs.
Atlas and Anti-Atlas: thermal flying from spring to autumn; from June to August thermals become violent. The Chergui, a hot, dusty east wind, can stop flying for days. Expect a large temperature difference between valley and launch.
Fatal accidents: a Belgian pilot died after take-off near Aglou in March 2025, a French pilot in the Taroudant region in March 2020. The Czech embassy in Rabat warns of frequent paragliding accidents.

Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia

Western Sahara: the UK government advises against all travel within 40 km of the Berm (the military line) and beyond it; travel insurance can be void against such advice. Check where your site lies.
The land border between Morocco and Algeria is closed.
Algeria (free flight under the Fédération algérienne des sports aériens) and Tunisia (sites such as Beni Aouf, host of the 2026 Arab championship): we found no published procedure for foreign pilots. Ask the national federation or a local club before you fly.

Sources

Atlas Mountains and coast (manual search) · Downloads · Open the full map

Pilot names are not displayed; the top flights link to their public page on XContest, whose address contains the pilot’s XContest username. To have your flights excluded or a note removed, contact Show contact.