Baffled by Marseilles (controlled airspace and VFR routes)

Yes, and every 6 months many religiously rush to the local pilot shop to spend money on the latest edition to the VFR guide and the supplement to the charts in order to have the latest and greatest and be “legally” equipped which is a bunch of bollocks. The 1:1M charts are not “required” but they may be handy for flight planning.

I used to buy the Jeppesen VFR+GPS charts which made many people raise eyebrows although nobody thought twice about using Jeppesen IFR charts (if one could only afford them) – quite the opposite. At that time they were the only 1:500K VFR charts with aeronautical information above FL050. Later IGN started publishing aeronautical information above FL050 on their charts which then became a lot more cluttered than they used to.

The “problem” is that the French “VFR Guide” and the 1:1M SIA charts have been pushed as the “only official” text on flying in France, for as long as I can remember.

I do not have ANY faith in the contents of “Guide VFR”. The information contained within is not up-to-date with EASA regulations. Just look at the oxygen requirements. I heard they recently withdrew the latest edition of it shortly after having published it because they realised it was obsolete. So I strongly recommend ignoring this guide, although I know many consider it to be a bible that has to be carried on-board on every flight so that one can spend the cruise portion of the flight reading it instead of watching outside for other traffic.

If you want information about local regulations, refer to the relevant AIP which is more likely to be up-to-date.

I believe the routes we are talking about are

II DAY VFR TRANSIT ROUTES WITHIN CONTROLLED OR RESTRICTED AIRSPACES

described in ENR 1.2-12 of AIP FR

The day VFR routes in the Marseille FIR are described in ENR 1.2-16 of AIP FR.

Unfortunately the description of the routes are FR only…

You must read the AIP.
Sometimes VFR routes are designed through a restricted zone only to allow a transit when the zone is active.
Sometimes they are mandatory.
Out of controlled/restricted airspace they cannot be mandatory, only recommended for some reason.
Sometimes flying them allow you to overfly areas at an height otherwise not permitted.
But some other times the VFR route is drawn over a city you may not overfly, and you must must make a detour around the said city.
(page 105 of the PDF file local copy )

Is there a search facility in the AIP with Skydemon? I always have to browse pages and pages before finding the right zone.

jgmusic wrote:

Thanks Aveling, really useful. I was considering a stop in Marseilles – have you landed there before?

Expect 350 € in landing/handling.

Avignon (LFMV) or Aix-les-Milles (LFMA) are your best alternatives. Both are on the TGV line to Gare St Charles. Les Milles is right in between Aix-en-Provence and the TGV station. Avignon-Caumont is a 25 minutes taxi ride from Avignon TGV and somewhat less to the Central station.

Avignon is an excellent GA airport with customs (PPR), an excellent restaurant on the field, a good hotel right outside the fence, possibility to get rental car from Sixt delivered at the airport.

The TGV train ride from Aix to Marseille is 11 minutes in the best-case scenario. From Avignon to Marseille is 40 minutes.

I landed at Marseilles last year (IFR; <2t aircraft); handling mandatory; handling was 100,- EUR, disbursement fee 12,19 EUR and airport fees 81.28 EUR.

A search here on Marseilles picks up various posts – example.