Peter Beecher wrote:
We are planning a 3 week vacation to France in September
of 2006. For the course of at least one week, we will
be staying at a villa in the vicinity of Figeac, in
the south central region. As part of this trip, I
would very much like to get a little flying in, even
if only with an instructor. Can anyone kindly send
me a list or a source of sailplane operations where
I might fly during my visit, the closer to Figeac,
the better, or suggest places they have flown themselves?
If there sites in the vicinity of Paris, I would like
to know about them as well. Some of the sites that
I am aware of; Sisteron, St. Auban, and Fayence, are
too far away to work in as an excursion.

I have attempted writing the FFVV but have not received
a reply. Other web searches have proved not very fruitful.

Peter,
In the early '80's I was sent to France by Michelin. I lived in
Claremont Ferrand. I joinded a glider club in Issoire, in the provence
of Auvergne. Issoire is about 20 miles south of Claremont. The club
was very friendly, had a Bijave, 2 place wooden glider and an SF28
motorglider.
Good Luck
Paul