In the years since I made my first flying visit to France I have been fortunate enough to tour the country by air quite extensively in both microlights and light aircraft. This article (originally published in Today's Pilot in 2005) gives thumbnail sketches of the airfields I’ve visited. It is a personal selection and very far from a complete list of airfields to go to in France, but I hope it might inspire a few other British pilots to visit some new places outre-Manche (across the Channel).
Things do change over time of course, so always check
on the SIA site (link at the bottom of this page) or in an up-to-date flight
guide before setting off.
Northern and Western France
Le Touquet (LFAT) The classic cross-Channel destination for British pilots. It's
not far away and you can cross the sea at its narrowest point. The airfield is
about 20 minutes walk from the town itself, and on a nice day it's a pleasant
stroll past all the expensive holiday homes. If that doesn't appeal there are
normally taxis waiting, and failing that the helpful people behind the desk in
the terminal will call one for you. You can also hire bicycles in the terminal. If you don't have time to leave the airfield
you can still get a fine meal at L'Escale restaurant next to the terminal, but
otherwise go into town for a very wide choice of places to eat and perhaps a
stroll along the beach. The terminal also serves as a small shop, selling a
mixture of pilots’ supplies such as charts, flight guides and aircraft models,
and local produce such as Pérard
fish soup and a range of Cognac, Calvados and
the like.
Calais (LFAC) Just up the coast from Le Touquet, but without quite the same
charm. Nevertheless it's a good airfield with both a café and a more up-market
restaurant on-site, and the fact that it draws far fewer visitors than Le
Touquet can make it a better choice if you simply want to clear French Customs
and get on your way. The airfield is within taxi range of the many wine and beer
warehouses catering to the booze cruise market, so you can stock up with
supplies to take home, though do check your weight and balance calculations
before getting too carried away!
Abbeville (LFOI) is just a short flight south from Le Touquet and offers
on-field accommodation with a good restaurant and bar. It's a firm favourite
with cross-Channel microlight pilots because of its friendly informality, but
note that it does require prior notice for Customs. One of its slightly
eccentric features is the resident flock of sheep and goats grazing on the grass
areas of the airfield - if you’re camping, you may get an unexpected guest or
two.
Verchocq Just 15nm inland from Le Touquet is the little field at Verchocq. It is
quite a rare thing in France; a private airfield on the owner’s farm. It's a
pretty and peaceful spot and has the big attraction of a very good restaurant
which draws the locals by car as well as visitors by air. The strip is grass and
has quite a steep slope. Plenty of quite large aircraft have used it, but do
study the airfield information carefully on their web site at
www.aero-delahaye.com before you go.
A little over 30 miles to the south east is Arras (LFQD) which boasts an
excellent grass airfield on the north-eastern edge of the town shared by a nice
mixture of light aircraft, gliders and microlights. The town itself has a fine
central square with a reasonable choice of bars and restaurants and makes a good
base for exploring the many WWI sites in the area.
Continuing south east you get to Laon (LFAF), an attractive walled town perched
above the surrounding plains and famous for its magnificent cathedral. Don't be
put off by the uninspiring lower town, but make your way up the hill (there is a
funicular railway) and you will not be disappointed.
Returning to the north coast and starting to head west now, you come to Dieppe (LFAB),
a club field with a grass runway and basic facilities close to the well-known
port town. There is an active parachuting club at the field so call ahead first
to find out what's going on, and don't blunder into the overhead without making
any radio contact just before a drop as one (French) pilot did when I was there!
Carrying on toward the west, and just beyond Le Havre, Deauville (LFRG) is a big
local airfield within easy reach of the UK. The nearby WWII invasion beaches are
fascinating to see from the air, with the remains of some of the wartime
structures still visible beneath the sea just off the beach. Nearby is Honfleur
which is a charming little fishing village within (slightly expensive) taxi
range of the airfield. It's a bit touristy perhaps, but is still a very pretty
spot with lots of places to eat and shop. If you go a similar distance in the
other direction from the airfield you get to the linked towns of Deauville
itself and Trouville. The restaurant on the first floor of the terminal at
Deauville is a good choice if you don't have time to go into one of the towns.
Not far inland from Deauville is Bernay (LFPD) which is a charming and friendly
grass field with an excellent restaurant at the airfield entrance. On a nice day
you can eat outside in the garden. Do make contact before entering the circuit
since aerobatics are sometimes conducted over the field.
Cherbourg (LFRC) can be a good point of entry or departure if you're flying in
the western part of France. There's no shortage of runway and there's a good
little café whose English-speaking proprietor also sells an excellent range of
wines, so it can make a good last stop on the way home. Take care of the
exclusion zones to the west of the field.
At the bottom western side of the Cherbourg peninsula is Avranches (LFRW) which
is a small club field within view of Le Mont Saint Michel. Beware of sheep on
the runway. Avranches itself is a pleasant little town too. If you fly around Le
Mont Saint Michel then keep clear of the exclusion zone which extends up to
3,000'.
Nearby is Dinard (LFRD) which again offers miles of runway and acts as a gateway
to the attractive fishing town of St. Malo. There's a restaurant in the terminal
as well with a terrace from which to watch the aircraft while you eat.
Continuing on to the Atlantic you reach Quiberon (LFEQ) and, just off the coast
from there, the little island of Belle Ile (LFEA) which is well worth the short
sea crossing, both for the island itself and to stock up on some of the local
Belle Iloise fish products. The island is small, but is a holiday resort with
plenty of accommodation. I stayed in the main town of Le Palais which is
dominated by the huge 16th Century Citadelle Vauban which guards the harbour.
The airfield does have fuel but you need to pay in cash.
Back on the mainland is La Baule (LFRE) which is another fashionable beach
resort town. That means that it too boasts a good selection of hotels and
restaurants, including a few of the latter on the beach itself; a lovely place
to be on a summer evening as the sun sets over the sea. Fuel is available,
English is spoken on the radio if you need it and the airfield staff are very
helpful in finding taxis and hotels. There is also a reasonable restaurant and
bar in the small terminal building.
Just off the coast about 30 miles south of La Baule is the island of Ile d'Yeu (LFEY).
It's a fascinating spot, with houses more reminiscent of the Mediterranean than
the Atlantic. There's a slight slope on the runway but nothing to be concerned
about. Flight plans are mandatory because of the sea crossing. Don't forget to
phone and close it if there is nobody in the tower to do it for you. The
airfield does not have fuel and has rather limited parking, so call ahead at
peak times. Taxi and other useful numbers are on the door of the tower if it
happens to be deserted. The island is well worth exploring. It's a popular
holiday destination with the French so there are plenty of hotels and
restaurants and you can hire cars or bicycles to explore. In high summer you'd
be wise to make sure you have somewhere to stay before heading out to the
island.
Heading further south down the coast you get to La Rochelle (LFBH). It's a
regional airport with scheduled commercial traffic but is still fine for GA.
Microlights are permitted too as long as you have obtained permission first. The
town is a short taxi ride away and is definitely worth a visit, with its
beautiful old port protected by castellated towers, fine stone buildings, a
thriving market in the town centre and a wide range of shops including the likes
of Galleries Lafayette. There are plenty of places to eat and to stay, but it's
a popular place and does fill up, so again book ahead if you want to be sure of
a room in summer.
About 70 miles inland, Poitiers (LFBI) is a regional airport reasonably handy to
the town. Try not to arrive wanting fuel at the same time as the occasional
commercial jet as you'll be waiting until it departs again before anyone will
attend to you - a problem common to many provincial airports. They don't accept
microlights unless you have made special arrangements with them first.
As an alternative, Chatelleraut (LFCA) is a good place to use as a refuelling
stop if you're flying through western France. It's close to Poitiers, but I find
it a better stopping place when I'm flying a microlight since you don't need
special permission to land one there whereas at the former you do. There is fuel
and a club house at the field but no restaurant, although on my last visit a
helpful local pilot drove three of us to the nearby supermarket which had a
perfectly good cafeteria.
North from there is La Flèche (LFAL). The runway is grass and can be a little
rough. I've never been into the town itself, but the club on the field is
friendly and they have fuel. It is well known amongst British microlight pilots
because of the presence there of Reg Whittal's flexwing training school.
About 20 miles to the north east of La Flèche is Le Mans (LFRM) which has a
large modern airfield right next to the famous Arnage circuit. When the race is
on it is not surprisingly a very busy place, with special procedures in force
for visiting pilots, but at other times it can utterly deserted. I landed there
on a Sunday in March to visit the circuit's museum, but couldn't find a way out
of the locked airfield! Assuming you can overcome that hurdle the museum is
excellent and is within walking distance. The town of Le Mans itself is a taxi
ride away, with an old centre that is definitely worth seeing.
To the east, and heading back towards Paris, you have all the towns of the
Loire, several of which have airfields. The whole area is well worth a trip,
with the added benefit of being able to admire the chateaux from the air. Blois
(LFOQ) has a long runway and good facilities, though the airfield is some
distance from the town which makes the taxi ride a little expensive, although
worth it to spend an evening enjoying the beautiful centre of the town.
Pontoise (LFPT) is one of the GA fields that is close enough to Paris to
use as a base for visiting the city, although you should still allow at least 90
minutes each way for the that journey. The airfield itself is quite large with
good facilities. There is a bus that goes past on the main road (some distance
from the GA area) that will take you to the nearest station for travel into the
city.
Eastern and Southern France
An interesting town to the south east of Paris is Troyes (LFQB), the
centre of which is made up largely of half-timbered buildings. The airfield is
excellent and uncrowded, has fuel and Customs on request. There is a sushi
restaurant in the terminal, and a Novotel with its own restaurant a couple of
hundred yards away with a discount on rooms if you've flown in. Another hotel
alternative is the more upmarket Relais Saint Jean in the centre of the old town
who will collect and return you to the airfield, saving on taxi fares. About a
mile up the road from the terminal there is a big Géant hypermarket complex if
you fancy picking up some French goodies to take home.
Further south, in the midst of the Burgundy vineyards, is Beaune (LFGF)
which is another beautiful town that is conveniently equipped with an airfield
on the outskirts, though again it is taxi, rather than walking, distance. Beaune
is another lovely old town which is surrounded by some rather uninspiring modern
development. Ignore that and go straight to the centre. The famous Hospice de
Beaune is worth visiting as is the excellent market. You can also visit several
fascinating wine cellars, walking past hundreds of yards of bottles stored in
tunnels that run beneath the streets of the town.
Saulieu (LFEW) A small local airfield which I stopped at for fuel in
mid-winter. It has fuel (cash only) and a modern clubhouse. If there is nobody
around then you need to go and knock on the door of the house at the end of the
runway!
Semur En Auxois (LFGQ) This is a field that I diverted into one January
when late afternoon fog blocked my progress towards Dijon. The place was
deserted when I was there so I can't comment on the club or the facilities, but
the field itself was well-kept and offered a good runway and plenty of parking
space. The nearby town is small, but offers a hotel or two and a few places to
eat.
Mulhouse Habsheim (LFGB) I have made three visits to Habsheim for annual
events hosted by the local aero club. They attract a range of interesting
aircraft from the region (the Swiss in particular turning up en masse with some
beautiful old machines). It's a good airfield with a long hard runway combined
with an excellent and very friendly group of people at the flying club. It also
makes a good base for exploring the Alsace region. You need to take care with
the nearby Basle airspace but this isn't a problem as long as you have
up-to-date charts.
Saint Etienne (LFMH) Another regional airport with some scheduled
commercial flights. I used it as a fuel stop while heading south for Spain so
didn't explore beyond the airfield boundaries, but it served my purpose well.
Landing fees (which were surprisingly cheap) are paid at the information desk in
the terminal. As with all small airports, you should carry your passport and
licence with you when you leave the aircraft since you may need to go through
security and identify yourself in order to get back out to the apron.
Saint Yan (LFLN) This is quite a large local airfield to the north east
of Clermont Ferrand. If you are flying through that part of France it can be a
better bet than the latter if the weather is not great, since it is lower down
and far enough from the mountains to be beneath the cloud when Clermont is in
it. It has fuel as long as you have cash.
Le Castellet (LFMQ) airfield is situated right next to the Paul Ricard
racing track in the Provençal hills between Marseille and Toulon. A very modern
and well-equipped field with a smart terminal building and two associated
hotels. One is next to the terminal and the other is across the road and is a
beautiful place to stay and to eat. The amount of weight you put on in the
restaurant will be balanced by the reduction in weight of your wallet, so
takeoff performance should be unaffected!
Aix en Provence (LFMA). The airfield at Aix-Les-Milles serves the
beautiful small city of Aix en Provence, one of my favourite places in France.
It has a good runway and an active GA scene. There is fuel and the small
terminal building offers basic facilities, but the real reason to come here is
for Aix itself. A taxi ride will take you into this jewel of French towns,
famous for its fountains, squares, restaurant-lined avenues and its association
with Cézanne. If you're flying to the east of the city then look out for the
famous Mont Saint Victoire that he painted so often. My first visit was by
Cirrus, but on my return by CT I was turned away on account of having no
transponder, so if you don't have one call to check first.
Montpellier Méditerranée (LFMT) A substantial regional airport with
plenty of scheduled traffic which still manages to provide excellent dedicated
facilities for GA and all for a very reasonable landing fee. Montpellier itself
is a taxi ride away and is certainly worth exploring. The airfield also makes a
good starting point for one of my favourite flights; the low-level VFR route
that takes you east along the coast over the Camargue delta and on past
Marseille towards Nice. Going the other way it's not far from here to the
Spanish border, so it makes a good staging post for those heading further south.
Lezignan Corbières (LFMZ) The airfield lies a few miles inland from the
small city of Narbonne and boasts a long concrete runway and a friendly flying
club. It's close to some attractive small towns, and to some of the boatyards
that serve the eastern part of the Canal du Midi. Its distance from Narbonne
makes that particular taxi ride a little expensive, but it's an interesting town
and worth the trip in if you have a few hours to spare. The other, and much
closer, alternative is Narbonne airfield itself, but this is a rather smaller
field with a grass runway only.
Perpignan (LFMP) is another regional airport which mixes scheduled
flights by the likes of Ryanair with GA, though they don't accept microlights.
The airport itself is a few miles north of the foothills of the Pyrenees and is
easy to find. The facilities are good, though the GA parking area is slightly
isolated from the terminal. There is a phone from which you can call for fuel
and a transfer bus if you need it, though the walk isn't that far. Perpignan
itself is a city that offers an interesting combination of French and Spanish
influences. I passed a very pleasant summer evening there watching the world go
by from a pavement café having flown up from Spain.
Carcassonne (LFMK) is a medium-sized regional airport on the western
outskirts of the city. With a big runway and good facilities it makes a fine
base not just for Carcassonne itself but the surrounding area too. The GA
parking area is a bit of a walk from the terminal. The city is famous for the
walled old town, and that is certainly worth a visit even though it is a bit of
a tourist trap, but down at the bottom of the hill the more modern part of the
town is worth strolling through too and offers better shopping for everything
other than tourist trinkets.
Castelnaudary (LFMW) I flew in to Castelnaudary last summer and left my aircraft
there for a week while I went on a canal boat holiday on the beautiful Canal du
Midi. The people at the field couldn't have been more friendly or helpful and
Castelnaudary itself is a very pretty town. The canal runs through the middle
and it boasts a fantastic market too, again with an intriguing mixture of French
and Spanish influences. Both the airfield and the town are well worth a stop.
Heading up into the Pyrenees themselves you reach Bagneres De Luchon (LFCB), a
beautifully situated airfield serving the eponymous spa town 2,000ft up in a
steep-sided but broad valley. The field has a long grass runway and is used by
both powered aircraft and gliders. Keep a good lookout out for paragliders in
the area too. Do study the airfield chart carefully as there are specific routes
to be followed to ensure that the different types of traffic are safely
separated. Park your aircraft and then just drink in the scenery.
If you are at Bagneres de Luchon and feeling adventurous it's only a few miles
further to Peysourde (LFIP). It is somewhat off the beaten track perhaps, being
as it is 5,000ft up in the mountains, but if the weather permits it's a
stunningly beautiful area to fly in. If you intend to land there you should be
aware that the field is an altiport and that, unless you are flying a
microlight, you should have the appropriate French alpine rating before using
the strip. Whatever you are flying, take care to study the airfield plate with
care, and pay special attention to the 16% slope of the runway!
Ussel Thalamy (LFCU) A beautiful small club field in lovely surroundings
to the west of the old volcanic peaks of the central Auvergne. A peaceful spot
with beautiful views of the mountains to the east. Not far to the south is the
Dordogne river which you can follow down towards the coast. I stopped there in
late summer for a break before following the river down towards Montpezat.
Montpezat / Saint-Exupéry This is one for microlight pilots only. It's a
major ULM base and is a must if you’re in this part of France in a microlight.
There are excellent facilities on-site including fuel (MOGAS only), maintenance,
a restaurant and motel-style rooms at very reasonable prices. As well as the
grass runways there is a small lake used for amphibians. You can have a go at
that yourself with an instructor in the club’s Buccaneer aircraft. The
surrounding area is pretty and it's a good base for exploring the region. Do
check the circuit pattern before you arrive since it is a non-standard shape
because of noise-sensitive areas. The web site is at www.ulmstex.com
Useful information sources
Many of the airfields listed have their own websites, but I find that the best
place to go first is www.nav2000.com which
lists practically every field if France (and many elsewhere) with all the basic
details, chart segments and often photos too.
You can find the official airfield plates in the AIP section of the French
Service de L'Information Aéronautique (SIA) web site at
www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr
Finally, if you’re off touring then there is a useful book (and associated web
site at http://www.piloteplus.com)
called Le Guide Escale du Pilote or Pilot’s Stopover Guide. It contains a list
of airfields with basic aeronautical information, plus listings for local
services such as taxis, hotels and restaurants. The taxi numbers alone have
saved me from some long cold walks at remote airfields!