Philippe Buron Pilâtre tells us…
A life in nine (9)…
1969: my great grandfather confides me the family story keys.
1979: my friend Hugues de Sade gets me in a hot air balloon basket, and I am going to become a pilot.
1989: it is the idea to organize the greatest hot air balloon gathering in the world “Fraternité 89”, and the occasion to meet the woman of my life.
1999: succeeding to organize a night inflation during the day, at noon and in summer. It was the total sun eclipse year.
2009: getting married in Las Vegas with the woman of my life in the “Little White Chapel” which the pastor is a pilot woman, came in Lorraine in 1989 to enjoy Fraternité 89.
2019: organising le 30th anniversary of a show which should have existed only once.
2029: I am still wondering… Moving the Mondial on Mars?
Hot air balloon, craziness, love and passion…
“Life never goes as we dreamed or as we scheduled. I was well on my way to remain a confirmed bachelor when in February 1989, as the small team recruited amongst friends is preparing the craziest challenge to organize the greatest hot air balloon gathering in the world named after Fraternité 89, a beautiful blond woman gets through the door of my home. A wide home which has become a hive, kind of Woodstock in Lorraine, where we work, we eat, we sleep, we invent the impossible. A place where each space is inhabited by an employee or a volunteer, working ingeniously to make Fraternité 89 everything except a flop. Every goodwill is welcome as we are working round the clock to be constantly connected to the world. And that beautiful blond girl confused my daily-life. The History will recall that I asserted “Miss, I will marry you”. 20 years after, the promise has been honoured. She did not plan she would also marry the hot air balloon and the life which goes with it. Beyond my personal matter, and among other things the Mondial and the months of February and July (during Mondial editions) gave birth to many romances (even children!). Then, do not hesitate anymore: offer a hot air balloon first flight to meet the partner of your life!”
© F. BRAURE
