It may be only a load of hot air, but these stunning pictures capture the serene beauty of hundreds of giant balloons taking to the skies at the same time.
Enthusiasts from across the globe flocked to an aerodrome in eastern France to take part in a world record-breaking attempt.
A total of 326 balloons lined up to take off at dusk at the Lorraine Mondial Air Balloons rally in Chambley-Bussieres as they tried to smash the world record for largest mass ascent in ballooning.