EGHH to LFEQ LFBZ LFMT LFMP LFOD to EGHH

[Moli]

The last weekend in June saw the Halton Aeroplane Club set off for its annual jaunt abroad, this year to the South of France. This is my experience of that trip with the Flying shared with Paul in GBIPV.
You can either read all the waffle below or just click on this youtube link instead!

Saturday - Bournemouth to Quiberon (EGHH – LFEQ)
We were due to set off on the Sunday but with the weather looking decidedly dodgy in North – West France we left a day earlier than the others and flew via Dinard for customs, landing at Quiberon on Saturday afternoon to blue skies and Parachutists. Luckily the FISO was still on duty so no awkward Franglais conversations about parachutists. Quiberon is a lovely airfield with a FISO on duty most of the time during Summer months, its approach can look a little daunting on the charts, as it is surrounded by Danger areas, but the reality of it is that it is very straightforward.
We woke up on Sunday to the expected poor weather and it remained overcast at 500 – 800 feet until Tuesday.

Tuesday - Quiberon to Biarritz (LFEQ- LFBZ)
By now the other Guys had rearranged their itinery and Quiberon and Biarritz had fallen from their radar as they had diverted into Le Mans due to the weather, so the plan was to meet up at Montpellier on the South Coast. Paul and I both agreed that we would carry on and do the route as planned.
On the Tuesday morning whilst waiting for the cloudbase to lift sufficiently for a departure, we met JohnP and his lovely lady and had a very pleasant time chatting with them and some microlight boys trying to get home. Eventually the Cloudbase lifted sufficiently to get airborne and squeeze up through a gap and we turned south out of Quiberon into D18A whilst talking to Nantes. Very quickly the weather improved as forecast and we were treated to beautiful blue skies for the rest of the day. We had planned an inland route if we had to avoid the danger areas along the west coast of France, but our preferred option was to follow the coast down. As it turned out we were given a clearance through every LFR/D we requested and navigated to Biarritz by keeping the beach on the left….simples! Biarritz had now been relegated to a splash and dash (we were originally night stopping there but as we had been weathered in at Quiberon for a day longer than planned we had to get back on track to meet up with the Guys). However it took a little longer than planned, as we were ramp checked. The lady in the terminal said the Gendarmes check all, I am not sure if she meant all GA or all Brits, but if you are going there, expect a ramp check.


"Keep the beach on the left Moli"


Refuel at Biarritz

Tuesday - Biarritz to Montpellier (LFBZ – LFMT)
After our chat with the Gendarme and a refuel, we were airborne again. Our plan was pretty much DCT with the odd scoot round restricted airspace but with the option to pop up to the Milau bridge if time permitted …. and it did. As we approached we could see the bridge from miles away, what a stunning sight it is. As we turned left around it a quick glance out to our right and we saw 10 or so paragliders about a mile away. We were later to learn from a French pilot that this was some world championship event …..completely un-notamed. Incidentally, my Garmin showed restricted airspace around the bridge up to ISTR, 5000 feet. This didn’t appear on SkyDemon or on my chart so just to make sure I spoke to the ATC unit we were under a service from at the time and they confirmed no restricted airspace around the bridge itself. An anomaly on the Garmin database? We landed at Montpellier at 1925 local on RW30L which was nice, as we came in over the water. The only slight inconvenience was that as the refuellers were busy with CAT, we had to wait for over an hour to get some avgas. Not a problem in itself but at the end of a long day and with it still 28 degrees it was a bit of a chore. It was then off into town to meet up with the rest of the guys and “shoot the aviation breeze” washed down with some suitable liquid refreshment.





The stunning Milau Bridge



PV refuelled and tucked up at Montpellier

Wednesday - Montpellier to Annecy (LFMT - LFMP)
We departed late morning in beautiful weather, initially to our P1 changeover/lunchstop at Valence Chabeuil (LFLU). Nice big runway class D, full ATC but not a lot else. So it was a quick coffee (no food to be had) and off again. We headed NE and climbed to FL70 and turned into the valley at Grenoble flying up the valley to Albertville. The scenery was stunning with rugged mountains capped with beautiful white clouds against a brilliant blue sky. From Albertville we descended and flew down some smaller valleys until flying along the lake to land at Annecy at the far end. This flight was the highlight of the trip for me, it was just spectacular! Annecy is a lovely little airfield that services a beautiful town, particularly the old parts that are close to the lake itself.





Views flying north from Grenoble




Approaching Annecy from the Lake (AFD middle left of picture)







Views of Annecy

Thursday – Annecy to Saumur (LFMP to LFOD).
We bade farewell to Annecy and tracked out to the CBY whilst speaking to Lyon, after an uneventful flight we found ourselves at our planned lunch stop at
Chatearoux Deols (LFLX). We were the second aircraft to refuel but when the Bulldog tried to refuel the pumps said “non” and went U/S. After some discussion with the airport staff, they kindly drove us all down to a local restaurant for lunch while they tried to fix the problem. Happily by the time we returned all was well and the remaining aircraft were able to refuel. After we departed Chatearoux , PV RVd with the Bulldog at a planned position and flew in formation for a few miles while we took some photos and video and then flew in loose formation to Saumur. We were aware of paradropping at Saumur so checked in early with them and discovered we had just enough time for a straight in to land before the next lift dropped. Saumur is a lovely town on the Loire with a classic Chateau. The airfield sits on a plateau just above the town and although there is no fuel unless you have the magical Total card, is a very pleasant place with a landing fee of zero.



We met a Bulldog







Who took some pictures of us



The Chateau overlooking the Loire at Saumur



Bye Bye Saumur

Friday- Home time
Friday was all about getting back, with the group landing at differing destinations (EGHH EGTK & EGWN) everyone did their own thing and routed back independently.
Overall the trip was pleasingly problem free. The danger areas and restricted airspace sprawled across the charts of South and South West France, were on the whole easily navigated and transits approved through pretty much everywhere. Fuel was not unreasonable in the present climate usually at about €2.25 mark and landing fees ranged from nothing to about €20 (most were circa €10) at airports like Biarritz and Montpellier.

[SimonM]

Fantastic ... Thanks for sharing.

[Flyin'Dutch']

So that's where the good weather's gone.

Looks like a great trip.

[johnp]

Great report. Thanks.
Good to meet you.
JP

[MichaelP]

I see you got a bit of crosswind practice!

Read the waffle, enjoyed that and then watched the video and enjoyed that too.

Great stuff

[Aerotech Flyer]

Not very often on the forum any more, but seeing this trip report and enjoying the video, I might try and pop back a little more regularly!
Great trip Moli and thanks for the effort to post it. France really is the best place to fly when it all comes together, we are so lucky to have it on our doorstep.
Cheers
AF
P.S. An ex Air Force buddy of mine (Steve H) is doing his PPL at Halton at the moment, maybe as an ex HAC member myself, we can join you guys on a future trip.

[Moli]

Not very often on the forum any more, but seeing this trip report and enjoying the video, I might try and pop back a little more regularly!
Great trip Moli and thanks for the effort to post it. France really is the best place to fly when it all comes together, we are so lucky to have it on our doorstep.
Cheers
AF
P.S. An ex Air Force buddy of mine (Steve H) is doing his PPL at Halton at the moment, maybe as an ex HAC member myself, we can join you guys on a future trip.

AF

TVM, I'm sure you would be most welcome to join us. HAC usually decides where it is going a good 6 months or more beforehand, there is talk of Norway / Sweden next year but nothing concrete at the moment. Tell Steve to keep his ear to the ground.
Rgds
Moli

[welkyboy]

Did you arrange customs at Quiberon for arrival and Saumur for departure??? I doubt it as it is not possible at either airfield.
If not you will be included on the increasing list of aircraft that flount the French customs regulations.
They have been discussed on these forums over and over but still British pilots ignore them.
Beware the Douanes in france have quite strong powers (fines and confiscation of aircraft)

[Dave W]

Excellent trip report, thank you. Great pictures and video. The Millau bridge is extraordinary - it never looks entirely real in pictures, for some reason.

Welky:

... and flew via Dinard for customs, landing at Quiberon on Saturday afternoon to blue skies and Parachutists.

[GrahamB]

If not you will be included on the increasing list of aircraft that flount the French customs regulations.

Careful WB, you wouldn't want to upset Moli and cause him to flaunce.

[johnp]

I went in and out of Cherbourg last Saturday and took great care to flounce.
Even escaped the WB radar.

[SteveN]

Some great piccies Moli

[Rich T]

Thanks for a great write-up Moli, looks like a great trip, and has provided some inspiration for me

[akg1486]

HAC usually decides where it is going a good 6 months or more beforehand, there is talk of Norway / Sweden next year but nothing concrete at the moment.

If you do plan to come to Sweden, drop me a PM and I'll give you some hints.

I enjoyed your write-up, thanks for sharing!

/Peter

[A le Ron]

I enjoyed reading that a lot. Sigh - wish I'd been there!