Beyond L2K

[PompeyPaul]

Hello,

I've visited L2K a couple of times now, and will probably take the missus there for lunch again this month. Any suggestions of where to go inside France ? I have some time coming up so was considering flying to L2K, staying over, then carrying on into France over the next few days.

I'm 90 hours, still inexperienced, but feel confident enough to go slightly further afield. Any ideas or suggestions ?

I've looked at going oop norf but there doesn't look like anything to exciting up there.

[julian_storey]

Maybe St Omer (clear customs at Calais?)?

St Valery is beautiful (clear customs at Dieppe).

Brugges (fly to Ostend and catch the bus).

Or the Channel Islands. Alderney is my favourite :ok:

[rtl_flyer]

PompeyPaul,

Try heading (South/West) towards Nantes - as long as you plan carefully the airspace is not too bad. Enroute there are a few places you could stop if you don't fancy all the way to Nantes. The Nantes area has a number of nice airfields and places to visit (in the office so I don't have any details with me).

After Nantes, if you are feeling really adventurous how about following the Atlantic coast down to Biarritz? Should impress the missus!
Navigation should not be too much of a problems as you follow the coast, there is some restricted airspace but if you go at the weekend it's mostly open to you. Just plan so you know who to talk to when. La Rochelle is on the way down. I have only stopped for fuel but hear it's nice.

Just plan carefully. In France some airfields are not fully open on Sundays (French on the radio rather than English) or lunchtimes. You also need to check customs, and some you need a transponder. All airfield details are on line (don't have link with me somebody will post if you want it), and large airfield will let GA in along with Ryanair!

Have fun and GO FOR IT!

Tim

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Deauville is an obvious next step after Le Touquet. Nearby town of Honfleur is well worth a visit - my parents keep asking me to take them back again for lunch. The taxi is a bit pricey (35 euros each way?) but can be relied upon to pick you up from town at the appointed hour to take you back to the airport.

[Radar]

PPaul,

Sounds like a great plan. If you've survived L2K, you've survived the difficult part (from what I've heard).

Three of my favourites:

West of Nantes, La Baule. Very friendly little field a short taxi ride from a laid-back seaside town with decent restaurants and a nice board walk.

La Rochelle further down the Atlantic coast. Again, larger but very pleasant sea side stop. Great food, great cognac, very pleasant harbour, city parks etc. A word of advice, if you choose La Rochelle as a destination, refuel on arrival. You may end up hanging around waiting for avgas prior departure.

Finally from my side, Saumur, east of Nantes on the Loire. There are a number of chateau in the vicinity,overlooking the river with which madame would be well impressed. :):)

Enjoy!!

[IO540]

La Rochelle is really nice.

IMHO Deauville is much nicer than Le Touquet.

San Sebastian is a great place too - just a few miles from Biarritz.

[PompeyPaul]

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to it!

[werewolf]

" In France some airfields are not fully open on Sundays (French on the radio rather than English) or lunchtimes."
Not true : French civil airfields never close, unlike UK, Germany, Italy ...
Always fully open from SR-30 to SS+30, even when local ATC are not operative: in that case local airspace is downgraded to class 'G' and pilots transmit blind in French or Frenglish. No PPR (except for private strips and for VFR in biggest airports as Orly ...), just turn in, radio and land ....
Civil French airfields are only closed when waterlogged, works in progress .....etc : see possible Notam.
During lunchtime (noon to 2pm LT) flying is not banned, local flyingclubs are usually closed, avgas delivery too, but not airfield restaurants ....

[werewolf]

To be noticed : Bed and breakfast, 1mi west of Honfleur towncenter (a lot of restaurants) : La Cerisaie (the cherry orchard) :
La Cerisaie, Honfleur (http://www.honfleur-sejours.com/contacts.htm)
run by Mrs Véronique Duval. Her husband is a pilot.
Booking essential.
By arrangement, Mrs Duval can fetch you at Deauville airport, saving a 30euro taxi fare.
French pilots opinion : great.

In France, just turn up, radio and land !

[Fuji Abound]

As always it depends whether you are going just for the flying or some other interests.

Assuming the later here is a pleasant round trip.

UK to Lille. You can clear Customs at Lille and either stay the night in town or direct to Lognes. Lille will cost you about 12E.

Lognes is the best airport for Paris in my view. Catch the train into Paris for a few hours or the day as you wish. There is a cheap but clean hotel on the airfield.

Lognes to Rouens - lunch in the City and wander around the Cathedral (some say one of the very best in Europe).

Rouens to Deauville and back to the Blighty.

You could over night in Lognes and over night in Deauville (and miss out Rouen if you wish).

Plenty to see and do, all interesting airports and not to far for an initial foray.

[flybymike]

There is nowt wrong wi' us folk from oop North....

[PompeyPaul]

I was reading this website (Fly in France (http://flyinfrance.free.fr/)) and it mentioned that end of March France goes S-Mode. Is there a way of finding out which CAS you need mode-s in? I'm still waiting for my French aeronautical charts so am not sure.

Quote:
S mode Transponder

France has postponed till March the 31st 2009 the obligation to have a S mode transponder to enter its controlled airspace for VFR flights. Therefore, during the whole 2008 year, all B,C,D French airspaces can be entered with a Mode C transponder.
After March the 31st 2009, the Paris and Reims FIR should be the first to enforce the new regulation. Others (Marseille FIR ) should follow the next year, and the whole French airspace should enforce the S mode from 2012 on. More details to come later.....
Several controlled areas can't be entered if your aircraft is not equipped with an XPDR giving your FL (C mode), though. This is especially true in the newly rated C airspaces.

[rtl_flyer]

" In France some airfields are not fully open on Sundays (French on the radio rather than English) or lunchtimes."
Not true : French civil airfields never close, unlike UK, Germany, Italy ...
Always fully open from SR-30 to SS+30, even when local ATC are not operative: in that case local airspace is downgraded to class 'G' and pilots transmit blind in French or Frenglish. No PPR (except for private strips and for VFR in biggest airports as Orly ...), just turn in, radio and land ....
Civil French airfields are only closed when waterlogged, works in progress .....etc : see possible Notam.
During lunchtime (noon to 2pm LT) flying is not banned, local flyingclubs are usually closed, avgas delivery too, but not airfield restaurants ....

The poster is NEW to France (other than le Touqet) , so I was suggesting they CHECK and take care. Not fully open - having to make radio calls in French is proberbly not what he wants to do. No fuel available and no customs.

[werewolf]

See what happens at Deauville LFRD during a day (all times local):
From sunrise-30min: daylight VFR permitted (anywhere in France). No ATC on duty (airfield frequency unmanned): it does not matter. Deauville TMA and CTR are downgraded to class 'G' : no Xponder compulsory, pilot own responsability to fly with ground viz of minimum 1500m and no cloud below 500ft agl. The pilot transmits blind on TWR frequency (ie 118.300) in French or in Frenglish (use of radio compulsory at LFRD anytime).
At 0800 (Sun, BH: 0900) till 2000 anyday: TWR ATC in duty, CTR class 'D', ie Xponder mode C compulsory, minimum viz 5000m, at ATC convenience minimum 2500m (see LFRD VAC chart).

At 0800 (Sat, Sun and BH: 0900) till 1930 anyday: the Terminal is open.
At the same time (0800/0900-1930) Customs are available (here at Deauville without PPR or PNR): Pilots may arrive or depart to a non-Schengen country.
At the same time (0800/0900-1930) fire tender is operative.
At 0830 (Sat, Sun and BH: 0930) fuel is available till 1200. Again available at 1400 till 1900. Fuel delivery is not possible at LFRD during the dreadful French lunch time, anyday (unless PPR).

At 1930 the terminal is closed.
At 2000 TWR is unmanned.
At SS+30, day VFR flying is not possible at Deauville or elsewhere in France.

The most important point to notice is the terminal time opening. Since 911, airfields and airports with commercial traffic are surrounded (anywhere in France) by a seven-foot fence. This is not clearly said in VAC charts. When French terminal are closed, it is quite impossible to go airside <-> publicside (both ways). It is like the Berlin wall !
Let's suppose an aircraft arriving at Deauville in Summer at 2030, transmitting blind at this time. Terminal closed. The local flying club little gate (normally closed) opened with a card is strictly only for local member pilots and their passengers. By no way other people may get through. So the pilot has 2 possibilities: either to sleep overnight in aircraft, or to start up and depart quickly for a near-by airfield (with no fence): Bernay LFPD or Falaise LFAS and land prior SS+30. Let's say that, as Terminal and ATC are closed, no movement is noticed (even if the frequency tape still records all speech H24) : no fee has to be paid !
Hope that helps.

[vectorspls]

very interesting stuff werewolf , which may extend the duration of some of my trips accross the channel this year, though of course Deauville is LFRG & dinard is LFRD