[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.

[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 -:)

[johnm]

If it's chateaux that you want fly to Tours, clear customs and hop off down the Loire valley.

[Paul_Sengupta]

the plural of Chateau is Chateaux

And the plural of gateau is gateaux?

Asking for a friend...

[Iceman]

Chateau La Chassagne and its private strip are no more unfortunately, otherwise there would have been top of your list.

Iceman

[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.

[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!

[Iceman]

Have a look through this thread for 'chateau with strip' or 'chateau near strip' possibilities in France.

Iceman

[James33]

I searched for "chateau strip" and all I got were naked photos of Paul Sengupta and Iceman holding bottles of wine.

[Iceman]

Iceman

[Paul_Sengupta]

Must be fake, I haven't done any chateaux. I've gone a few gateaux in my time though.

[Rob P]

... 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

[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.

[Pilot Pete]

+1 for Carcassonne.

[Sir Morley Steven]

Next to Tours is Amboise and there are some top places to stay there.