Construction of technical buildings 1937 (≈ 1937)
Erection of pre-war initial infrastructure.
1939-1941
Closure of World War II
Closure of World War II 1939-1941 (≈ 1940)
Discontinuation of activities due to the conflict.
31 août 1944
Establishment of the National School Centre
Establishment of the National School Centre 31 août 1944 (≈ 1944)
Post-liberation re-launch as a national school.
1944
Mounting of the Mistral I hangar
Mounting of the Mistral I hangar 1944 (≈ 1944)
Reuse of recovered German structures.
1949
Mounting of the Mistral II hangar
Mounting of the Mistral II hangar 1949 (≈ 1949)
Post-war infrastructure expansion.
1932-1980
Period of operation of the centre
Period of operation of the centre 1932-1980 (≈ 1956)
Training of pilots on site.
2009
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 2009 (≈ 2009)
Protection of hangars and runways.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The following parts: the Mistral I hangar, the Jacques Aubriot workshop, the former canteen, the Mistral II hangar, the airstrips and landings (cad. Labécède-Lauragais A 226 (hangar Mistral I, former canteen, Jacques Aubriot workshop), 187 (hangar Mistral II), 184 to 186, 526 (tracks); Vaudreuille (Haute Garonne) ZO 6 (portion de pistes) : inscription by order of 8 January 2009
Key figures
Jacques Aubriot - Workshop associated with the centre
Technical location preserved on the site.
Origin and history
The National Sailing Centre of the Black Mountain, located on horseback in the communes of Labécède-Lauragais (Aude) and Vaudreuille (Haute-Garonne), was a major training place for pilots between 1932 and 1980. Its infrastructures, including the Mistral I and Mistral II hangars, illustrate the temporary architecture of the 1930s-1940s. These hangars, originally stored by Germans in Blagnac during World War II, were recovered after the Liberation and mounted in 1944 and 1949. The site, closed between 1939 and 1941 due to the conflict, became in 1944 the national school centre of the Black Mountain, reaching its peak in the 1970s.
The canteen, a small wooden saloon-style building, preserves the traces of the courses and promotions that follow. The elements protected since 2009 include the two hangars, the Jacques Aubriot workshop, the old canteen and the runways. These vestiges bear witness to French aeronautical history, marked by periods of innovation and conversion, in a natural setting conducive to sailing. The site, owned by the municipalities, remains a symbol of the technical and educational heritage of the 20th century in Occitanie.
The inscription to the historical monuments in 2009 allowed to preserve these emblematic buildings, whose wood frame and modular structures reflect the logistical challenges of the time. Their post-war recovery and reuse also illustrate the resilience of local actors. Today, the centre offers a unique testimony on the evolution of civil aviation practices in France, between military heritage and sports development.
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