Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By TLRippon
#1912532
G-BLEW wrote:Lille is worth a visit, and there's a shuttle into town from the airport

Ian

It takes almost as long to get from the GA parking to the Terminal and through customs at Lille as it does to get into town.
Lefty liked this
By SGS66
#1912539
If L2k is your choice lunch at L’Escale is probably unbeatable. French for ‘Stopover’ this airport restaurant would put any UK airport restaurant to complete shame. The lady who runs it has been in charge at least for seven years i can remember and she always has an extensive menu. One always has the feeling of slightly missing out as all the locals are enjoying a glass of wine but they are not flying in! A walk into town afterwards through the forest is very pleasant.
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By matthew_w100
#1912542
Thanks, chaps! Though I'm genuinely surprised by how few options there are.

Yes, I do like Calais and always use it as a port of entry. But I wouldn't rely on the restaurant being open. Same with Kortrijk; I recced it before lockdown - it was great but the restaurant was closed.

Going further to the Netherlands is a good option. And is there anything in Germany?

The Channel Islands also. Though the sea crossing seems awful long the one time I did it...

I've never managed to get a taxi in France for less than 40E, so I'm pleased to hear about Arras. I suppose the taxi constraint is just a phobia on my part - I can speak enough French to make myself understood face-to-face, but the telephone is a nightmare. I don't have much faith that I could get a *British* taxi driver to show up at an airfield, never mind a French one.

My intended cohort are all renters, so even overnighting takes a bit of organizing. And they can sort themselves out for UK destinations!

Thanks again.
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1912556
Another forumite and I discovered a gem of a place for an overnight stop on our way to Aero Friedrichshafen - Nancy Essey.

Well organised, tarmac runway with an instrument approach if you need it. As is often the case, the airspace around it looks horrendous but actually a piece of cake - we went VFR in a straight line from Calais at 3500'.

Landing/overnight parking was about €18, and fuel is self-serve with a Total card, and a bit more faff if you don't, apparently. We were parked by the FISO about 20 yards from the terminal access door. There is a restaurant on the field, but we didn't use it. We got a taxi into town (€18) organised for us by the lady on the reception desk, although a short walk to the end of the access road takes you to the stop for buses into town - routes 15 and 20 and free at weekends, apparently.

The town itself is a bustling university/cathedral town with a good selection of bars and restaurants, particularly when near the grandiose Place Stanislas. We only really had an evening and a couple of hours the next morning to explore the place, and was a bit busier than normal due to there being the most humungous visiting funfair with rides that would do justice to Alton Towers taking place in one of the squares, but it looked well worth another longer stay.

The only downside is that it's not a port of entry, so it's not really viable for a day visit.
Last edited by GrahamB on Wed May 25, 2022 12:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By TomWW
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1912564
matthew_w100 wrote:Remind me - do you need a customs airfield to *depart* Schengen or can you come back to the UK from anywhere?



And they mean what they say about notifications. Many are 24 or 48hr now!

This week someone was talking to French customs at an airfield. They would not permit them to leave France for the UK as he had not given enough notice.

The chap, and wife, flew to L2K to clear customs.
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By Rob P
#1912568
welkyboy wrote:You need your passport to be stamped both in and out of EU

If you are lucky, but the stamping is pretty random.

Rob P