Photo © Ciel du Monde
This is the traveller’s holy grail. A tailor-made experience, ranked somewhere between Rolls-Royce, Romanée Conti and Koh-I-Noor in the luxury cabinet of treasures. The Ciels du Monde air cruise propels you into an exclusive, epic, supersonic world. Dock one morning on Easter Island, dine 48 hours later by moonlight in Bora Bora, dance with the Māori in Auckland in the same week, climb the steps of a Buddhist temple in Siem Reap a few days after scaling those of Machu Picchu… In one journey, you will set out to conquer some of the most magnificent monuments on earth, the cradle of millennia-old civilisations. Founded by globetrotter Edouard George, a tourism veteran and friend to kings as well as mountain guides, the travel agency Ciels du Monde rules supreme in an ultra-confidential industry. Le Monde Economique invites you to fasten your seatbelt for a dream stay.
By Sabah Kaddouri
Few media teams are granted a seat aboard a private aircraft specially chartered by Ciels du Monde. And for good reason: this is a unique odyssey — the trip of a lifetime — reserved for a happy few able to spend the princely sum of 31,500 euros. At the very least. The profile? Wealthy entrepreneurs, heirs, sports champions or lottery winners. There are also travellers who have patiently saved up to treat themselves to the finest reward of all: a three-week VIP round-the-world journey. We knew about sea cruises linking continents in the style of floating cities, but as a niche within a niche, the air cruise speaks to insiders in search of strong emotions. Of the quintessence. An aircraft flying low over the ancestral statues of Easter Island as a farewell, with the captain’s express permission for you to stand up and photograph this suspended moment at close range… all while you are still in the take-off phase… No sea-going vessel can deliver that kind of thrill. Such is life in the fuselage of a Ciels du Monde aircraft. Everything is new, spectacular, seamless. As for you, you will not be the same person on arrival, having lived so intensely, so viscerally, so fabulously…
Behind this symphony of happiness lies, first and foremost, a feat of orchestration: managing the movement of around one hundred passengers of different ages and nationalities, and designing a bespoke immersive programme that takes them from one land to the next with a precision that rivals that of Switzerland’s master watchmakers. It is a challenge that requires formidable logistics, since the aircraft dedicated to this odyssey must be self-sufficient for a month and deliver the same level of service at every stop. Foie gras sprinkled with caviar as a starter must be available just as much in Peru as on the flight taking you to Borobudur in Indonesia. Treating an injury or a persistent stomach ache is also part of the package, with immediate care provided by an on-board doctor. Back pain? Ask the Tibetan masseur to relieve you at 30,000 feet. On its journeys, Ciels du Monde recreates, at altitude, the comfort of a city — pardon, of a palace — to ensure safety, calm and an experience within the experience. Your only concern? Arriving fresh and rested at every stopover.
It is truly on D-day, at the general meeting point in the airport, that the scale of the operation becomes clear. Ciels du Monde and its charismatic CEO Edouard George, supported by indispensable cruise director Yann Mathieux — a seasoned tourism veteran — call together some 150 passengers arriving mainly from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy and Canada. Their core market. Alongside the duo, you discover a tightly knit team of twenty people dressed in Ciels du Monde colours. Baggage handlers, stopover supervisors, doctor, nurse, masseurs, head chef, aeronautical experts including former Concorde Director of Operations Guy Cervelle, videographer, customs manager… A cast that makes it clear we have entered another dimension. Then come the introductions to figures just as essential to the smooth running of your planetary loop: crew members freshly arrived from Portugal and usually assigned by dignitaries of the Portuguese military. Three pilots, supported by 12 cabin crew, join the welcome address.
First briefing from cruise director Yann Mathieux, who invites you to do something unusual: hand over your passport and luggage. From this moment on, everything will be under Ciels du Monde’s control. Your priority is to check the weather at the first stop: Cancún in Mexico. Yes, it is very nice there! A striking contrast with the autumn rain of this late 2025 season.
Holidaymakers are split into two groups: Turquoises and Sapphires. The Sapphire category corresponds to Business Class with all the expectations that implies: priority boarding, seat converting into a bed and even personalised with your name, gourmet meals, champagne and vintage wines, access to exclusive places and experiences, accommodation in some of the world’s finest hotels, surprise touches along the way… A formula prized by a handful of privileged travellers for whom travel is above all an art. In this VIP section, you may well cross paths with a few showbiz and business celebrities…
At take-off time, Yann Mathieux — once again — confirms his central role as an operational director endowed with ubiquity: nothing escapes him! In a year of preparation, he has mapped out every detail, anticipated every moment, and envisaged every scenario (delay, technical incident, sudden coup d’état, health issue, weather risks, sensitivities between travellers…), every hypothesis has been worked through so as never to be caught off guard. You are now off on an airborne closed-door journey that will take you to the antipodes of the planet. In Tahiti or New Zealand, you will be around thirty hours from Europe. Yann Mathieux will therefore regularly take the floor to share practical in-flight information, updated in real time.
Course set for the Americas to discover the Mayan pyramids and its glorious civilisation. Excitement is visible as much as it is palpable among your fellow travellers as they leaf through the circuit brochure.
1. Chichen Itza – Mexico: First site to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage; this city located near the coast, south of the Gulf of Mexico in the state of Yucatán, fascinates with its colonial charm and is home to the ruins of the famous Mayan civilisation, best known for its advances in many fields such as writing, art and architecture. Ciels du Monde has also planned a stop at one of the cenotes for an exceptional swim.
2. Cuzco – Peru: 4,185 kilometres further south in the depths of Latin America, in the Andes mountain range and former capital of the Inca Empire. Cuzco has shone for centuries thanks to its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Exploring the ancient 15th-century Inca city, the iconic Machu Picchu, literally “old mountain”, will leave travellers speechless. Lucky guests in Sapphire class will even have the privilege of boarding the famous Belmond Hiram Bingham train… the Latin counterpart to the Orient Express. A multifaceted experience that perfectly captures the spirit of Ciels du Monde and its “Art of Travel”.
3. Easter Island – Chile: Perhaps the most eagerly awaited stop of all… This corner of the ends of the earth, mystical, magnetic and enigmatic, leaves no one indifferent. Because, yes, something physiological happens when you set foot there… You are swept through, pierced by an inexplicable energy emanating from the impressive Moai, monumental basalt statues dating from the 13th and 15th centuries. It is as if we were levitating between the Blue Planet and Mars. “The most striking thing is to have the chance to land on a stormy day… The staging is even more spellbinding. The standing statues — whose deeper meaning, and even the reasons for their construction, historians, archaeologists and scientists still struggle to explain — stare you down as if they had come from elsewhere.” Edouard George tells you.
The founder and president of Ciels du Monde is a well of knowledge whose commentary greatly enriches your land-based exploration.
3,757 kilometres west of Lima, Peru’s capital, the volcanic territory of Easter Island seems lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You are 14,050 kilometres from Geneva and levitating, dreaming in 4D… Magical.
4. Tahiti – French Polynesia: After this cosmic jolt, a mini-retreat is in order to recover one’s senses. Head to Bora Bora for an immersion in paradise. Turquoise waters, XXL overwater villas, delicious seafood grills, luxury spa, manta rays and a school of dolphins… You taste a chic Robinson Crusoe life in close contact with Mother Nature. This pause comes at just the right moment to catch your breath after several domestic flights added to the intercontinental segments. Four days, three nights, perfect for creating unforgettable memories. Some fellow travellers will even find the place and the momentum right for renewing their vows in a 100% Polynesian ceremony. Bora Bora confirms its reputation as the kingdom of honeymooners.
As you leave this promised Eden, you visit a very discreet boutique that welcomes guests only by appointment to buy magnificent Tahitian pearl jewellery. President Edouard George will let you in on the secret…
5. Auckland – New Zealand: Determined to combine adventure and culture, Ciels du Monde will also open a window onto the Māori people, who share the Polynesian heritage. What stands out is the seamless coexistence of modernity and tradition in this capital, located 18,611 kilometres from Switzerland. On the programme: interactions with the local population, Māori performances and rituals, museum visits and local workshops, and a gastronomic dinner on the Riviera in a yacht-club atmosphere. And of course, a visit to a site rich in geysers. New Zealand is an example of nature conservation, much like Switzerland.
6. Yogyakarta – Indonesia: A country spanning both hemispheres, Indonesia is a vast mosaic of cultures and ethnic groups. Located on the island of Java, Yogyakarta contains millennia-old treasures inherited from the Buddhist era, which inspired the many temples built in Asia’s largest cities. Borobudur is an open-air museum. You will enter through the grand entrance while staying in one of the princely palaces of the province’s Sultan. Indeed, Ciels du Monde is the only private aircraft in the world to have been granted permission to land at Yogyakarta airport! Like a tourism Indiana Jones, Edouard George will also surprise us with a fanfare welcome for his guests at the airport.
As for Sapphire passengers, they will even be escorted by police on every transfer. Impressive!
7. Siem Reap – Cambodia: Wonder continues 2,468 kilometres further on in Angkor, also listed as UNESCO heritage. Comprising a complex of 200 temples spread over more than 400 km², it bears witness to four centuries of Khmer sovereignty. Each stop is an opportunity for a deep and respectful expedition into the history of humanity. You, who had stored up so many images and ideas about destinations shaped by your Western environment, will vibrate with your whole being in contact with the local people — of infinite kindness — and at the sight of the paths explored. The final evening will also have the flavour of eternity. You will be cordially invited to a sumptuous gala in the presence of Prince Tesse Sisowath, His Royal Highness by blood.
Red carpet, elite dancers from the Cambodian crown, refined dinner, photographers… Time to dress to impress!
8. Agra – India: Another breathtaking feat created by human hands: the mythical Taj Mahal, a sumptuous mausoleum commissioned by the Muslim Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in tribute to his late wife. An architectural jewel combining Islamic, Persian, Ottoman and Indian aesthetic elements, the Taj Mahal has left no one unmoved since its construction in the 17th century. It is also possible that, at this stop, fellow travellers will once again declare their love to their other half…
9. Aqaba – Jordan: Ultimate escape of the air cruise: the Middle East. A religious epicentre where the human and the divine meet. In stone, in water, in matter, Jordan features on many bucket lists. Its ancient city of Petra, a marvel carved from sandstone and founded in the 6th century BC, has become one of the world’s most famous archaeological monuments.
Day after day, we disconnect from the world in order to reconnect with ourselves, with humanity, with our childhood dreams. We think of those extraordinary places whose existence we first discovered through schoolbooks, television programmes and museum visits. So many feelings and images rise to the surface, as if the past were colliding with the present. Yet one reliable compass remains: the chance to live an indelible human adventure. Along the way, strong friendships are forged, with some ties blossoming into real love stories! Another behaviour also emerges: passengers already booking their next round-the-world trip before they have even completed the current one!
From one time zone to another, we plunge into life-size postcards and, as a bonus, our moments are elevated by exceptional experiences: festive beach parties, costume galas, live performances, meals and excursions in closed and unusual places, … The most secret doors are opened to you.
Beyond the majesty of the sites visited, it is the magic woven by the founder of Ciels du Monde over decades of expertise that adds an extra soul to what we experience. In this way, one becomes aware of the extreme complexity of overseeing an air cruise… A matter of diplomacy, strong networks, emotional intelligence, composure and virtuosity.
In the end, one takes home as many abundant memories as authentic life lessons.
Find all our Inisde articles
