Unfriendly Deauville
Last time I flew into deauville on an IFR flight plan the conversation went something like this:-
"G-ROAR flight level 90 requesting descent, runway in use, and latest weather"
"G-ROAR descend to 3000ft, QNH 1013, runway in use 30 and I cannot give you the weather."
"Why not"
"I am not qualified to give you ze weather"
Now I knew the weather was poor in the area but I needed specific up to date weather to plan the approach and make sure it was above minima.
"Deauville, if you cannot give me your weather what do you suggest." ( since I had a hire car waiting at Deauville and this was going to cock up our day)
"I suggest you divert to Caen "
"Can you give me vectors for an ILS into Caen?"
"No problem"
He then gave me a lovely ILS into Caen preceded by their weather and a handover when we were visual. We then had to get taxis from caen to Deauville to collect our car. A real pain. Nowadays they do have ATIS on 119.175.
Strange folk those Normans. I was in a bar another time in Pont L'Eveque and asked the English bar man why the Normans hate the Brits. Oh, they hate everybody, even the French. says it all.
I also found the chap at the Chamber of Commerce office at Deauvelle airport extremely unfriendly and offensive. One time I landed there without a hire car and he would not help one little bit. We ended up getting a taxi to our digs at an exhorbitant rate. We have always been dissatisfied with their arrogance.
Not been for a while, Caen is the best option.