The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the commune Annonay in Ardèche, France. They invented the Montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique, which launched the first confirmed piloted ascent by humans in 1783, carrying Jacques-Étienne.
Image: Joseph montgolfier
Image: Jacques Étienne Montgolfier
First public demonstration in Annonay, 4 June 1783
A 1786 depiction of the Montgolfier brothers' historic balloon with engineering data. Translated details are available on the image hosting page.
Annonay is a commune and largest city in the north of the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It is the most populous commune in the Ardèche department although it is not the capital which is the smaller town of Privas. Other communes in the Ardèche department are Aubenas, Guilherand-Granges, and Tournon-sur-Rhône.
Annonay, view from the Aygas rise
Bell Tower of the Trachin Chapel
The Place Grenette
The first flight of the Montgolfière balloon