On the basis of a several-years experience (1982-1989) in the practice and supervision of sportive skydiving the author describes an activity considered high-risk. He shows what skydivers find attractive and pleasant in their voluntary and renewed exposition to mortal risks. It is around the 1980’s that the meaning of risk taking changes with the social characteristics of the practicers. The values associated with this popular sport of military origin are replaced by those celebrating sport achievement and the « pleasure of free fall ». If the quest of risk is no longer the prime motivation, skydiving still remains a risky sport.