You should understand,Standto, that everything was fine when I left to help out the English, again!!

Try Troyes (LFQB) then Villefranche Tarare (LFHV) which is North West of Lyon. Aparantly a great chateau there with top lunch and bloke called Patrick (I think) who is a heli nut and will sort you out with all the stuff you need.

Other than that Macon, Grenoble or Valence are also considerations.

After there, pick your way through/over the Alps to DGN (loads of gliders at Sisteron) but mind the Natural Park and the bombing range between DGN and Cannes!

Enjoy, its a great trip once you get south of Troyes.

Woss goin on is right.

Villefranche a/p is small but very good. The Heli Club de Beaujolais is based there. Chateau Bagnols, where I stayed this weekend, is excellent - but seriously expensive!!

Good luck............

Thanks, guys, all very helpful gen.The reason to go round the S. via Aix was to keep nearer to the TGV in case of Wx,etc so the pax can continue.I`m sure you know the story- plan on "X" pax, and "X+2", and of course more baggage, will turn up to go -- so, legs get shorter , more refuels, days are shorter ,etc, etc.
27 yrs ago I ferried a couple of Gazelles to Marseille/rtn from a secret Wilts a/f in just under 5 hrs(flying)each way,with 3 stops for customs/ fuel/lunch at Vichy,which had /has? a superb little restaurant. No GPS, only a roll of maps and TANS.

I don't know what your leg times are but here are a few places to visit.
LeTouquet -very quick to refuel/landing fees. Good local hotels
Dijon - same here
Lyon Bron - can be a slow process if you arrive when there are others waiting.
Valance - very quick on fuel/fees. Havent tried hotels. It might not be open, so check.
Chalon sur Seine - can take some time if you are not famil with pumps/flight plan/met computers. Nearby hotel.
Gap - very pleasant, good service

France sitefinder
 

Is there a French equivalent of the UK sitefinder book? Preferably in English.

Landing outside official sites is not easy in France; for one thing, you need a French 'Heli-Surface' permit: which is relatively easy to obtain, but takes time to obtain. Once you have one it's valid for 10 years or so. Other than look in the Guide Delage (French equivalent of Pooleys etc) I too would be interested in the wisdom of others.......

Probably not answering your question but there are a number of helipads listed on the French SIA website at http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv....set_aip_fr.htm Drill down through France Metropolitaine and so on.

Ask at the HCGB, many have gone before .....

The Helicopter Club certainly provides its members with application forms for the Helisurface Landing Permit, together with an English translation, but I'm not sure about the sitefinder. I'll try to find out.

Flying in France
 

Some usefull info

(from the south of France at this very moment)


Heli-surface permit is valid for 6 years



General info (very useful and lots of references)

http://flyinfrance.free.fr/


Gouvernement

http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/


In particular official Heli-Paths

http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv....set_aip_fr.htm



High altitude

http://www.afpm.org/AFPMfiches-diffusion.htm


Delta3

As it is myself who organises most of the events for HCGB I have spent a considerable amount of time researching French hotel sites.and am always pleased to help other members.

There used to be a publication called "Helite". I think it only ran for about five years with the last one being published around 1999.

Several members of HCGB have copies, including myself. Another good reason to join!

The "Relais & Chateau" Guides show helicopter landing facilities as also does the "Johansens" Guide under facilities search criteria.
Otherwise it is word of mouth or trawl through various other hotel guides and call up the likely looking ones. They are not usually too difficult to spot. I look for country location and at least three hectares of clear land. Cross checking guides against hotel websites can also be useful as many contain aerial photographs.

A note of caution however, sometimes the GPS co-ordinates given are not correct. I have seen east/west transposed. I always plot the given positions back on to a map and also buy a copy of the French IGN Series Bleu 1/25,000 to work out the position if none is given. IGN maps are obtainable from [url]www.stanfords.co.uk

Also be careful about assurances from hotel owners who tell you their site is OK for helis, they may forget to tell you about wires, obstacles or the 20 degree slope. I have on occasion spoken to local French commercial operators to ask them about a particular site.

Occasionally I have been asked for a landing fee (£40 once) with some spurious justification. I always refuse and that is usually the end of the matter.

I am always looking for new venues if anyone comes up with any.

Incidentally "delta 3" is not quite correct in saying that the French Helisurface Permit lasts for six years. I think that the way it works is that your first permit is only valid for 2/3 years and if there is no problem reported then on subsequent applications the period of validity is extended. I am on my third permit which was issued in 1997 and is valid until 2007. I can't overstress the importance of having a Helisurface Landing Permit. Last year a friend was being given a hard time by local Gendarmes after making a precationary landing with an engine problem. All was smiles when he produced the permit.

Flying in France
 

to chalmondleigh


I do agree with your post. Especially the relais and chateaux which I also visit frequently, and I agree about the errors in GPS coordinates, which I do tend to notify to the hotels if found incorrect. You also can land at places that do not have registered heli-surfaces. The villages mair has an important say in that.

For the permit I only can state that my permit issued by the departement of Le Var, is valid for 6 years, which is according to my information (see the french AIP) the normal time span.

delta3

Flying in France (incl Landing at Private sites)
 

Have been asked by boss to ferry guests between private residence in French countryside and a small motor race happening mid-June......
Whilst I get my head into the books in the sun that is not Cheltenham, has anyone out there done this sort of thing before?
Anyone au-fait re permissions required/regs for running a private shuttle service within France - off airfield site to racetrack?
It's all private work, using private company chopper and company pilot, flying friends of boss, no fees being charged etc.
Does Le Mans run a heliport at the track during the week or do we have to use the airport like those plank-type things?

You as a pilot need a permit for off airport landings, to be applied for in Paris, I think with the police and the CAA.
So that´s that and on top of that the landings sites need to be approved.

It´s been quite a while...
I didn´t have that personal off-airport permit since we switched pilot on short notice and was fined about 3800 pounds (in court!):*

So, be prepared.

Cheers

EESDL

You will need to apply to the Prefecture de Police for a "Habilitation a utiliser les helisurfaces".

Their address is:
9, boulevard du Palais
75195 Paris, Cedex
Ph: +33 1 53715371
email: [email protected]

Remember, this only covers you as the pilot. It will be valid for 10 years. The landing site permits are a different matter.

Hope this helps. ;)

EESDL, PM for you ..

Expect anything between 6 - 12 months to get your Helisurface.

Ive had one for almost ten years, flown in france regular lots of off airport landings and never ever been asked for it,

But if you don't have one you know what will happen

many thanks,
sycamore - pm didn't get through!

I think I sent an e-mail, but it was same info as Oogle; there was a heli company at Le Mans(+33 (2) 4372 0770 who may help.. Syc