Kite Festival in Essonne — Weekend

A kite festival is taking over Essonne this weekend — but the real story is bigger than colorful fabric in the sky. Base 217, the former military air base at Le Plessis-Pâté, is hosting the second edition of the event on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, 2026. This year it comes back with a new name, Les Cœurs-Volants, plus giant kites, aerial demonstrations, workshops, and all-day family programming. The point is simple: turn a huge open site south of Paris into a spring destination people actually plan around. (coeuressonne.fr) ### What is happening this weekend? Les Cœurs-Volants runs over two days at Base 217 in Essonne, with programming scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors get the obvious draw first — giant kites in the air — but also demonstrations, creative workshops, and continuous activities aimed at families rather than hardcore hobbyists. So this is less a niche sports meet and more an outdoor spectacle built for a long-weekend outing. (coeuressonne.fr) ### Where exactly is it? It’s at La Base 217 in Le Plessis-Pâté, in the Essonne department, roughly an hour from Paris. That location matters because the site is enormous — a former air base has the kind of open sky and runway-scale space that giant kites actually need. Basically, the venue is part of the attraction. A small city park could never do this version of the event. ### Why the new name? The festival used to be presented more plainly as the Essonne kite festival or Festival de Cerfs-Volants. (coeuressonne.fr) For 2026, organizers renamed it Les Cœurs-Volants. That sounds cosmetic, but it signals intent — they’re trying to turn a one-off success into a recognizable annual brand. After a strong first edition in 2025, the event is being positioned as a recurring fixture in the spring calendar around Paris. ### How big is it supposed to be? The number to keep in mind is 15,000. That’s about how many visitors the first edition drew in 2025, and organizers are clearly using that turnout as proof the format works. When a local family event comes back immediately, gets rebranded, and keeps the same large-format venue, that usually means the trial run landed. This is no longer being treated like a novelty. ### What will people actually see? (coeuressonne.fr) The headline attraction is giant kites — some coverage describes creations reaching 50 meters long — plus choreographed aerial displays and pilots coming from France and elsewhere in Europe. That gives the festival a nice split personality. Kids can just stare at the sky. Adults can appreciate the scale, design, and technical control behind the flying. It’s basically visual theater powered by wind. ### Is it just for watching? No — and that’s part of why it has traction. The program includes workshops and hands-on activities for families, so the day is not just “show up, look up, leave.” That matters for a destination outside central Paris. If people are making the trip, organizers need enough to fill several hours, not just a quick photo moment. ### What’s the catch before going? One practical detail stands out: access is handled through online reservation. (parissecret.com) So even though the vibe is relaxed and outdoorsy, it isn’t a purely drop-in fair where you assume space will sort itself out. If someone is planning a same-day visit on May 9 or May 10, checking entry details first is the smart move. ### Bottom line This weekend’s news is simple: Essonne’s kite festival is not just back — it’s scaling up into a named annual event. (coeuressonne.fr) Les Cœurs-Volants turns Base 217 into a big, family-friendly sky show, and the 2025 turnout suggests it has a real shot at becoming a regular spring habit near Paris. (mesinfos.fr)