Joseph-Michel Montgolfier

French aviator

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July 23, 2026

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Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and his brother, Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier, were French inventors and balloonists. They are credited with developing the first hot-air balloon and conducting the first untethered flights in the 18th century. Their experiments were financially supported by their father's prosperous paper factories.12

The brothers discovered that heated air, when contained in a lightweight bag, caused it to rise. They publicly demonstrated this principle in Annonay, France, in 1783, using a balloon filled with heated air from burning straw and wool. This led to further experiments, including the first manned untethered flight over Paris in November 1783. The Montgolfier brothers were recognized by the French Académie des Sciences for their contributions to aeronautics.123

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Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier
Joseph and Étienne were 2 of the 16 children of Pierre Montgolfier, whose prosperous paper factories in the small town of Vidalon, near Annonay, in southern France, ensured the financial support of their balloon experiments. While carrying on their father’s paper business, they maintained their…
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Joseph and Étienne were 2 of the 16 children of Pierre Montgolfier, whose prosperous paper factories in the small town of Vidalon, near Annonay, in southern France, ensured the financial support of their balloon experiments. While carrying on their father’s paper business, they maintained their…
Read More