Tancrède Melet, 32, died on Tuesday after falling 30 metres from a hot air balloon in the Drôme region.
It is understood that he was taking part in an art project at the time.
His group – the Flying Frenchies – has turned heads in the past for attaching a tightrope between two hot air balloons and crossing between the two baskets in mid air.
The video below shows Melet's troupe performing the stunt in 2014.
The Flying Frenchies posted a tribute to Melet on Facebook, saying that the daredevil was a pioneer of extreme sports.
“Tancrède Melet, who was surprisingly in love with life, surprised us by leaving us too soon,” they wrote.
“He leaves us with wonderful memories, a taste of freedom and a head full of dreams.”
Hundreds of commentors shared their tributes too, many pointing out that the Frenchman had died doing what he loved.
The father of two is understood to have joined the group after quitting his job as an engineer four years ago.
Melet – a base-jumper, wing-suit flyer, and slack-line walker – has proven popular in the online community in the past.
The video below has over 1 million hits.
He leaves behind him a wife and young daughter.
Melet performs on a cable way in front of the Mont Blanc mountain. Photo: AFP
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