Wed Aug 17, 2016 9:21 pm
#1477738
I thought I'd explore a few customs entry points to France for future use. Calais can be windy and both it and LeTouquet can get sea fog, I'd also prefer runway options and grass.
Ive recently been to Dinard and Deaville. The three I tried were quite different.
I emailed for customs at Abbeville LFOI bsi-abbeville@douane.finances.gouv.fr but no one showed up. There was no one on the radio, supposed to be air to air (in French). I asked Lille for the surface wind but they advised to overfly to view the wind sock (however they do parachute there so be careful). There was a glider being towed to the grass but it was very wide and I landed well to the side of it. A few people and planes around; there seems to be fuel. Some nice chap booked me in and took a 4E landing fee and sold me a coke at the small cafe. Seemed informal and pleasant. Looks like its close to the town for a wander and a meal.
On route to Caen LFRK I spoke to Lille, Paris and Deauville and skirted round Rouen. The Seine is interesting as it snakes around. Joined Caen at EY reporting point for a straight in on 31 grass parking by the fuel. The tarmac is huge. The tower asked someone to fuel me up (do it before going to pay the landing fee, they give you a ticket). 20litres was 35E and landing fee 9E. Quite a queue for fuel was builing up with 4-5 small planes. All very pleasant and good English in the office. Obvioulsy geared up for commercial traffic but also GA including microlights.
Departed to Cherbourg LFRC taking to Deauville again. Good english on Cherbourg radio. One other plane there and one doing circuits. Again geared up for commercial and having resident customs, admin and tower. Landing fee was 12E. There was a very pleasant lady in the cafe, come wine store, come pilot/book shop. Had a coffee and brought an aviation map. The tower had phoned and adjusted the time on my return flight plan without me asking which was helpful. They seemed very keen to encourage UK traffic and make them welcome. Like Deauville the runway is on a plateau.
So, my conclusion; Abbeville - great, cheap, inland, grass, runway options, fuel - just have to plan re the customs notification and be prepared to try to speak in French for air to air circuit calls.
Caen - great, reasonable cost, inland, two runway orientations both grass and hard, fuel, presumably resident customs - have to remember to park near the terminal or be prepared to walk a distance to and fro.
Cherbourg, good for a shortish crossing, reasonable cost, good cafe, compact, resident customs - could suffer from sea fog and sea breezes.
Once again, to me it all seemed very daunting but was actually straightforward.
Image2 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr
DSC08920 by Abbeville, on Flickr
DSC08923 by Abbeville fuel, office and cafe, on Flickr
DSC08941 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr
DSC08942 by Caen, on Flickr
DSC08943 by Fuel Caen, on Flickr
DSC08945 by Approach to Cherbourg, on Flickr
DSC08947 by Cherbourg Tower, on Flickr
DSC08949 by Customs, Landing fees and cafe building Cherbourg, on Flickr
Ive recently been to Dinard and Deaville. The three I tried were quite different.
I emailed for customs at Abbeville LFOI bsi-abbeville@douane.finances.gouv.fr but no one showed up. There was no one on the radio, supposed to be air to air (in French). I asked Lille for the surface wind but they advised to overfly to view the wind sock (however they do parachute there so be careful). There was a glider being towed to the grass but it was very wide and I landed well to the side of it. A few people and planes around; there seems to be fuel. Some nice chap booked me in and took a 4E landing fee and sold me a coke at the small cafe. Seemed informal and pleasant. Looks like its close to the town for a wander and a meal.
On route to Caen LFRK I spoke to Lille, Paris and Deauville and skirted round Rouen. The Seine is interesting as it snakes around. Joined Caen at EY reporting point for a straight in on 31 grass parking by the fuel. The tarmac is huge. The tower asked someone to fuel me up (do it before going to pay the landing fee, they give you a ticket). 20litres was 35E and landing fee 9E. Quite a queue for fuel was builing up with 4-5 small planes. All very pleasant and good English in the office. Obvioulsy geared up for commercial traffic but also GA including microlights.
Departed to Cherbourg LFRC taking to Deauville again. Good english on Cherbourg radio. One other plane there and one doing circuits. Again geared up for commercial and having resident customs, admin and tower. Landing fee was 12E. There was a very pleasant lady in the cafe, come wine store, come pilot/book shop. Had a coffee and brought an aviation map. The tower had phoned and adjusted the time on my return flight plan without me asking which was helpful. They seemed very keen to encourage UK traffic and make them welcome. Like Deauville the runway is on a plateau.
So, my conclusion; Abbeville - great, cheap, inland, grass, runway options, fuel - just have to plan re the customs notification and be prepared to try to speak in French for air to air circuit calls.
Caen - great, reasonable cost, inland, two runway orientations both grass and hard, fuel, presumably resident customs - have to remember to park near the terminal or be prepared to walk a distance to and fro.
Cherbourg, good for a shortish crossing, reasonable cost, good cafe, compact, resident customs - could suffer from sea fog and sea breezes.
Once again, to me it all seemed very daunting but was actually straightforward.
Image2 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr
DSC08920 by Abbeville, on Flickr
DSC08923 by Abbeville fuel, office and cafe, on Flickr
DSC08941 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr
DSC08942 by Caen, on Flickr
DSC08943 by Fuel Caen, on Flickr
DSC08945 by Approach to Cherbourg, on Flickr
DSC08947 by Cherbourg Tower, on Flickr
DSC08949 by Customs, Landing fees and cafe building Cherbourg, on Flickr
Last edited by Birdyboy1 on Thu Aug 18, 2016 5:46 pm, edited 3 times in total.