La Rochelle to Biarritz VFR

[neilgeddes]

Bonjour,

Please excuse me for writing in English!

We are planning to fly two PA28 aircraft VFR from Biggin Hill to Biarritz and back during 15 to 19 July stopping overnight in La Rochelle. Can you please help us plan the route into Biarritz? We are concerned by the complex Restricted areas around Bordeaux especially along the coast line. Are these completely prohibited to VFR flights or can clearance through them generally be obtained? We shall be flying during the week if that makes a difference.

Also, are Arcachon LFCH and Biscarrosse LFBS available as lunch stops? There is a ZIT (RA(T)) notamed.

Thank you for your help!

Regards, Neil Geddes

[Leo45]

Hello

You can indeed transit through restricted areas after obtaining the relevant clearance. I haven't flown VFR in France for ages but my bit of advice is to use the appropriate charts for that. In any case you really need to get hold of a set of SIA VFR charts (1/1 000 000) which has a supplement containing all the details about Restricted, Danger and Prohibited areas together with the relevant frequencies to contact (you won't find them on the 1/500 000 ICAO-IGN charts which, by the way, only depict Restricted areas or Controlled airspace up to 5000ft).

You can order them directly from the Service d'Information Aéronautique:

http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/asp/frameset_uk.asp?m=9

or purchase them from AFE or Transair.

Flying along the South-West coast of France is indeed a pleasure to the eyes. I used to do it quite often ...10 years ago!

I'm sorry if I can't be of more help, but sadly I only fly IFR nowadays.

Hope you'll have fun.

[neilgeddes]

Thank you Leo45 (http://www.pprune.org/members/38401-leo45)

[Mokonzi]

Hi !

I'm a french PPL.

The restricted areas around Bordeaux aren't always active. ATC (CTR, TMA, or SIV 1 Aquitaine) will be able to say if the are or not. Dont' worry if they are, having a clearance is not a problem. Flying along the coast line will be awesome.

For Biarritz, be careful. The Charlie parking is reserved for commercial aircratfs. And for Alpha or Bravo parkings, you have to call the airport before your arrival and a paying handling is compulsory. Police often controls pilots on this airport, therefore have your licence and the other papers, and fill in the logbook of your PA28 after the landing ;). I think there is no problem for a lunck stop at LFCH or LFBS.

You need 1/500 000 (south-west, SFC - FL 115), 1/100 000 000 maps, and Aeronautical Information Publications for each airport (free access here : https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/html/frameset_aip_uk.htm).

Sorry for my laborious english.

Mokonzi.

[neilgeddes]

Thanks you also Mokonzi for your helpful reply. Yes we have current 1/500 000 ICAO-IGN charts and also an old set of SIAVFR charts (1/1 000 000) from which I will read the supplements. It does sound possible from what you both say and I am encouraged! :) Your Biarritz parking information is useful thanks. I will do some more research now and perhaps have further questions for you later? Fly safe.

[A and C]

The last time I went this way the danger areas were in use by the military and we routed to the east of the motorway that links Bordeaux with Biarritz, on the way back the danger areas were cold and we went up the coast, as said above a very nice trip.

If you like seafood I recommend the lobster in Chez Albert in Biarritz !

[neilgeddes]

we routed to the east of the motorway that links Bordeaux with Biarritz

Ok I can see it marked. Were you flying low level or up high? Many thanks.

[172510]

French easiest chart to read for a VFR pilot is Cartabossy.

Don't rely on the "complement aux cartes aéronautiques", once printed, it's already out of date. Use AIP
https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/default_uk.htm
Chapter of interest is ENR 5.x
And narrow route notams of course.

If you have a transponder, always call an information service, and ask for airspace clarification if you need (don't forget that out of controlled airspace, even if they might give you form time to time information on traffic around you, they never owe you any traffic information).

As everywhere else, on week ends, the military zones are usually inactive, making life easier.

[neilgeddes]

Thanks 172510 (http://www.pprune.org/members/340940-172510) :)

[A and C]

The flight would have been planned at an altitude between 7000 & 9000 ft as this is the optimum cruise for the DR400, I can't remember exactly as I have done this route on a number of occasions.

For charting I use a combination of the Jepesen airways and VFR charts, as you can use the airways VFR in France you can take advantage of the economy's that climbing to the optimum cruise altitude brings you along with the increased radio range and the lack of traffic it makes for a much more relaxed flight.

French ATC is very good and are very cooperative in the fact that they will try to give you any direct track avalable, I was once given a direct track from just south of Nantes to AGN the first point on the STAR for my destination Toulouse.

The final point I would make about VFR in France is expect to enter and leave via the published VFR routes, these are used to integrate IFR & VFR traffic and something a few UK airfields would do well to put in place.

[Piper.Classique]

1/500 000 ICAO-IGN charts which, by the way, only depict Restricted areas or Controlled airspace up to 5000ft

Used to be the case.
Now they go up a good bit higher. I need to look, but offhand FL 115

[172510]

"rench ATC is very good and are very cooperative in the fact that they will try to give you any direct track avalable, I was once given a direct track from just south of Nantes to AGN the first point on the STAR for my destination Toulouse."

I suppose it was an IFR flight.
If you fly Airways VFR, you will most likely be in a class E airspace.
Class E airspace by day means: no clearance required, so ATC won't give you any direct to anywhere, you can fly wherever you like. If you leave the airway to take a shortcut, you are not protected by the airway anymore, you might find yourself in a military airspace etc.
Class E also means that XPDR and VHF are not mandatory.
If the weather is fine, it is indeed a good idea to fly airways VFR in France. There is a free downloadable 1:2000000 airways chart in the French AIP.
(by the way, you're not allowed to access class E airways VFR at night in France)

[neilgeddes]

Thank you everyone for your replies so far.

On Tuesday 16 July we plan to fly from La Rochelle to Biarritz. We would like to stop at ARCACHON LA TESTE DE BUCH (LFCH) at lunchtime if possible.

Can anyone please give me an email address for ATS or the management at the airfield?

Best regards, Neil

[federico100mt]

Hi,

Be aware, Aquitaine INFO SIV is not always receivable in the Cognac Zone. On the other hand Poitiers INFO worked fine.

I have done La Rocchelle - Lyon VFR some week ago.
I have been flying over there south of La Rochelle. Many airfields such as Saintes, Rochefort are available on traffic information, so be careful on flying away from the aerodromes airspaces.. a lot of gliders as well as they only accept french radio, so avoid to fly overhead in any case if you can.

KR,
Federico

[neilgeddes]

Thanks Federico. That's good information :)

[saintex27]

Hi
you may have problems to park your planes at Biarritz !
check with Biarritz operations before !!
Have a good flight !

You can get the VAC here :

https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/fr/..%5CPDF_AIPparSSection%5CVAC%5CAD%5C2%5C1308_AD-2.LFBZ.pdf


BIARRITZ BAYONNE ANGLET
Use of the general aviation apron
Utilisation des parkings de l
’
aviation générale
Alpha and Bravo areas:
Aire Alpha et aire Bravo :
Parking areas restricted: parking subject to
compulsory
PPR PN 48 HR to the General Aviation Service
Aires de stationnement limitées : stationnement soumis
à autorisation préalable
obligatoire
avec préavis de
48 HR au Service d
’
Aviation Générale.
E-mail : [email protected]
E-mail : [email protected]
FAX : 05 59 43 83 50.
FAX : 05 59 43 83 50.
AREA ALPHA
AIRE ALPHA
H1 and H3: helicopters whose overall
length is not greater than 13.73 m.
Advise TWR whe

[neilgeddes]

Thanks Saintex27. I'll get this done :)