Aerodrome Villefranche- Tarare / Frontenas, history?

[posso]

Wonder if anyone out there could supply any historical details (or point me in the right direction)...to info relating Villefranche - Tarare aerodrome, located to the NW of Lyon, also known as Frontenas (code LFHV).

Seems to have been in operation as a G/A field since the mid 1980s, has quite extensive apron, hangar facilities, hard strip....in a rural location.

Just wondered if it was a previously a French military base?

Any info would be of interest.

(Had a pretty good Google session, but cannot seem to find anything).

[Alan Baker]

Certainly does not appear to have been a military base, far too small. There is an article on French Wikipedia, but no historical information. Eastern France is littered with abandoned cold war airfields (ex USAF,RCAF and French Air Force) which are a fascinating sight on Google Earth.

[posso]

Hi Alan,
Thanks for your input, as you mention indeed a bit small for a regular A/F base, wondered if was a 'Satellite' field to a bigger base...if the French do such things?

I had occasion to visit the place a few years back, as mentioned in my post quite extensive facilities for just a G/A field, pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

Unless of course thats the way they do things in France!

Cheers. Chris.