St-Malo/Dinard

[Humaround]

We're planning to make our first cross-channel trip on Friday, to Dinard. :eek:

Been reading the recent Flying to France thread - very helpful.

Anyone got any recent info about Dinard? Any peculiarities? (I have the Jeppesen VFR guide)

We plan to stay one night in St-Malo - is hotel accom likely to be hard to find without booking? I know many French holiday in August.

Somewhere memorable to eat?

Thanks

[Three Yellows]

Been to Dinard several times, always very friendly.

go here to download the latest charts

http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/html/frameset_encoursMSE_uk.htm

Generally rwy 35 is the preferred runway due to the ILS. If approaching from the northeast and 35 is in use, be careful to identify 35 and not 30, easily done the first time.

London info will generally hand you on to Brest Info at the FIR (assuming that you are using the VFR route) and you are high enough to be above the Deauville controlled bit of Cherbourg.

We route down towards Granville before turning towards Dinard. This avoids routeing through Jersey Zone as they always seem busy. Brest may ask you if you want to route through the Jersey Zone though.

Then just as you want to get on to Dinard Tower, Brest will insist that you call Rennes North Approach on 124.9 before calling the tower.

Anyway after a busy couple of minutes on the radio, you're there.

Fuelling is a bit of a pain. If you need fuel, I'd do it on arrival. The Avgas pump is located at the north end of the main apron but you have to get the key from the Fire Station at the south end of the apron. You pay for fuel and landing fees at the fire station too.

If you are staying overnight then they will probably park you on the south "P2".

Once you have parked etc, exit through the main terminal for customs etc. (Where the Ryanair pax go).

There are usually taxis outside.

When you return, head for the check in desks, at the right hand end of the check in desks are some doors for security. Press the buzzer "Vol Prive" and they will let you in ahead of the Ryanair pax, take you through the lounge and tip you out on to the apron.

All pretty easy really, except the fuel, unless you have a total card.

[Three Yellows]

If this is your first trip to France, set your self up with a free user name here

http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/asp/frameset_uk.asp?m=14

and you can file your homeward flightplan here the day before. Always keep a note of the reference number though, just in case, but it has never failed us, unlike homebriefing.com which has always failed us!

[Three Yellows]

We always (rather boring I know) lunch at La Duchesse Anne. If the taxi drops you at the customary 'Centre Ville', go through the archway, turn left and the Duchesse Anne is there on your left. But there are loads of places to eat in the old walled town.

I would recommend booking accom before you go though.

People always say, although I've never done it, that you should clear customs at Dinard and then fly on the extra five minutes to Dinan. May be easier to get accom there.... but I don't know:(

[Adrian N]

The lady behind the bar in the cafe / restaurant is always very helpful. I arrived in Dinard once on July 14th with 7 others, and she spent half an hour on the phone finding accommodation for us. Quite an achievement on one of the busiest tourist days of the year.

[Dave Gittins]

Have never flown across, always taken the car by Brittany Ferries (too much weight for the Warrior).

St Malo is lovely - the walled town of Intermuros is a real treat and worth a visit or a longer stay. Last September we stayed for a week.

Must be a good half hour drive from Dinard Airfield to Intermuros across the barrage so taxi may be a tad pricy.

Cannot suggest any memorable eateries in St Malo (lets say as is usual in France we did not find any bad ones) but as far as staying, we have been in the Hotel Elizabeth (a brilliant B & B) twice and wouldn't stay anywhere else (they have a web site in English http://www.st-malo-hotel-elizabeth.com/saint-malo-hotel-en/).

Would suggest that 3 days notice to find accomodation in August may be cutting it a little fine - you can but try.

[bigdunk]

try to visit the old town at St Malo its an old fortified town i stayed at the best western in old town st malo basic but clean lots of places to eat. You will love it :D

[julian_storey]

Whereas some places I've flown to in France rarely check your documents (I can't recall having ever been asked for even a passport at Le Touquet) - they can be REALLY hot on this at Deauville.

Make sure that everything is absolutely in order.

[Three Yellows]

The taxi from LFRD across in to St. Malo is 20 Euro. Much better value than the rip off taxis from Deauville, where every ride is at least 40 Euro.

In ten years of flying to france, we have only ever had our documents checked once. But as mentioned above, always make sure that everything is in order or you could be dining on baguette and badoit.

[neilmac]

Wonderful huge Runway, St Malo a joy, especially fish courses. We were late off due to refuellers being Fireman as well, some AIrbus caught fire ! No probs with customs. Just google accom in St Malo we did. Though 3 months later I did get an ATC service charge which I couldnt figure out. We were visual all the way? Bit upset cost us 30 qud!
But didnt spoil a top tme!
Enjoy

NM

[Humaround]

Thanks all!

Hope to be off on Friday early, back Saturday evening.

[camel toe]

I would like to re-iterate the following

"If approaching from the northeast and 35 is in use, be careful to identify 35 and not 30, easily done the first time."

Upon landing, and when back tracking for departure, probably worth having a REALLY good luck up and down runway 30 when crossing to make sure the Frenchy in his Robin hasn't made that error :E

It's a nice route in from the northeast, passing Mont Saint Michel, don't venture too close to get piccies though as it has a bit of restricted airspace over and around it. I have always found the FIS whether it from Deauville or Brest to be top notch, you will be assigned a Squawk and if you have mode Charlie then use it. They seem to be asking more and more, even on quiet week days.

The only other bit of advice is to look out for Wind Farms, these things are popping up all the time, it seems there are a new set each time I visit. Even with the latest French Chart I found some not on there yet such is their aggressive building programme. So long as you stay at a sensible altitude though you will be fine, just keep it in your mind if you find yourself lowered due to cloudbase.

Finally, if you've not flown in the Channel Islands Control Zone yet, then why not pay a visit to one of the islands on the way back, Class A airspace, SVFR, excellent controllers and spectacular views!

Camel Toe
"Over Macho Grande?"