Page 1 of 2

Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Thu Feb 21, 2019 7:08 pm
by sky_high30
Reading the Calais restaurant thread and mention of Chateaus got me thinking...if you were to plan a french flying trip with passengers of no/limited interest in flying but a considerable interest in good food and wine, where would you go?

I'm thinking along the lines of 4-7 chateaus in 9 days, no more than an hour or so in the saddle each time, flying daily or every other day. Ideally places with their own airstrip, but not averse to a short ride to each one. Aircraft will be a Robin DR400, minimum grass runway 650-800m.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Thu Feb 21, 2019 8:13 pm
by grahamgrg
+1 to this idea.

Have yet to really live up to claim that getting an aircraft would allow us to taste the best of French hospitality and cuisine so very interested in this.

Mrs GRG points out that the plural of Chateau is Chateaux - but after a few glasses of French wine I'm sure she'll forgive you -:)

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Thu Feb 21, 2019 8:19 pm
by johnm
If it's chateaux that you want fly to Tours, clear customs and hop off down the Loire valley.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Fri Feb 22, 2019 1:10 am
by Paul_Sengupta
grahamgrg wrote:the plural of Chateau is Chateaux


And the plural of gateau is gateaux?

Asking for a friend...

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Fri Feb 22, 2019 8:58 am
by Iceman
Chateau La Chassagne and its private strip are no more unfortunately, otherwise there would have been top of your list.

Iceman 8)

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Sun Feb 24, 2019 8:40 am
by James33
Not sure where you're based, but how about :

Le Touquet (for customs)

Reims (for Champagne)

Meaux (for Disney)

Joigny (for Burgundy wine and food - the Côte Saint Jacques restaurant particularly). The proprietor has 3 Michelin stars and also holds a PPL.

Lyon-Bron (for more food and wine)

Cannes (for sun, food, and wine)

Montpellier (for a lunch stop)

Castelnaudary (for Cassoulet)

Bordeaux-Saucats (I'll make you a cup of tea)

Quiberon (for seafood)

Cherbourg (for customs)

...and then home.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Tue Feb 26, 2019 6:57 pm
by sky_high30
Based Bicester (Sort of near Oxford). Cherbourg works well as a jumping off point.

Thanks for the suggestions. Doing some more digging; any recommendations of chateaux with airstrips most welcome!

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:18 pm
by Iceman
Have a look through this thread for 'chateau with strip' or 'chateau near strip' possibilities in France.

Iceman 8)

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Tue Feb 26, 2019 9:28 pm
by James33
I searched for "chateau strip" and all I got were naked photos of Paul Sengupta and Iceman holding bottles of wine.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Tue Feb 26, 2019 9:31 pm
by Iceman
:shock:

Iceman 8)

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:40 am
by Paul_Sengupta
Must be fake, I haven't done any chateaux. I've gone a few gateaux in my time though.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Wed Feb 27, 2019 12:19 pm
by Rob P
James33 wrote: ... but how about :

Le Touquet (for customs)


Save yourself twenty quid, more if picking up fuel, and go via Calais

That's an excellent list James. There's three I have yet to tick off. Call it two as I can't see me rushing to Disney any time soon (at all). I might substitute Carcassonne for Castelnaudary personally.

Rob P

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Wed Feb 27, 2019 5:58 pm
by James33
Do send me a PM if you need phone numbers of local contacts for each of the above-mentioned fields. Always makes life easier.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Wed Feb 27, 2019 8:48 pm
by Pilot Pete
+1 for Carcassonne.

Re: Big french flying trip

PostPosted:Fri Mar 01, 2019 10:38 am
by Sir Morley Steven
Next to Tours is Amboise and there are some top places to stay there.