I landed there today and they spent ages looking at my passport, comparing it with something on their computer screen, and then they told me I was supposed to give them prior notice.
I suppose the line
0700-1800 and O/R until 2200 with PN before 1700 to SECMA
could be written as (note the comma)
0700-1800, and O/R until 2200 with PN before 1700 to SECMA
or
0700-1800 and O/R until 2200, with PN before 1700 to SECMA
but in any case it would not be saying 24hrs’ PNR. And what does “with PN before 1700” mean? You could fly there at 1500 and email them at 1459.
They let me go but “next time please let us know”.
I told them pilots consult the AIP but they said (basically) the AIP is not what matters. What matters is a signed directive by a local police chief, to the airport.
It means before 1700 the day before…
Where does it say “the day before”?
I agree with Peter, what is writen is 7h-18h and if you want till 22h you have a PN.
The AIP has the same redaction.
When you have to PPR it’s clearly writen, like for LFRN/RENNES.
I should have go to Cherbourg like you and have the same issue.
Yes; clearly the intention of the writer (assuming he spoke English) was
0700-1800, and O/R until 2200 with PN before 1700 to SECMA
because nothing else makes sense with regard to the “1700”. But he left out the comma.
However the police told me there is some directive which overrides the AIP, signed by the local police chief. They were very polite but spoke little English and I spoke no French, so this was all I could make out. I did have the AIP printed out with me but left it in the plane.
These are strictly the same in french and english.
Obviously a french speaking person should argue better than you but, for me, french guy, I don’t understand what mean a local police chief decision ! If it’s not in AIP nor Notam, who should know it ?
The AIP is what matters.
The local chief is only abusing his power of nuisance.
The local chief is only abusing his power of nuisance.
The “local chief” is probably the “préfet”. The reason for a possible PNR is probably that the same people also work the Cherbourg harbour.
If there is indeed an “arrêté préfectoral” requiring 24 hrs PN, there may be 2 reasons why it has not made it into the AIP:
I’ve seen this happen too often during the state of emergency that ended last November.
To us it comes down to the same thing: we do not know about the PNR so we can’t be blamed for not notifying. And if the policeman was friendly, he probably knows that the requirement has not been published.
The problem of Customs at French fields – including Cherbourg – is an on-going confusion, especially during the ‘state of Emergency’.
The Cherbourg web page http://www.cherbourg.aeroport.fr/gp/Services/71 clearly states: “Douanes
Préavis de 24 Heures. PPR 24 Heures”. But this is NOT SHOWN on the English page.
The status of the French AIP is ambiguous: It is valid on the day that it is published; and amendments should be notamed – but often they are not. Such an absence might be a reasonable defence if it came to litigation , but who wants to go down that road . . .
The current ‘State of Emergencty’ is also problematic. It DOES allow the local authorities to make demands for its local area – with or without proper promulgation e.g. in certain places they have insisted on customs for inter-Schengen flights. Often one doesn’t know this until one has landed.
In the last 2 years the Emergency Regulations have been promulgated/withdrawn at least 2 times: As to their exact status on a given day at a certain place, is very hard to ascertain.
The online GAR page https://www.onlinegar.com/frenchcustoms.olg does its best to try and keep up to date.
Douanes Préavis de 24 Heures. PPR 24 Heures
And, in French, “Douanes” is clearly Customs, not Immigration (immigration is called “police” in a lot of AIPs including the French one). OTOH “customs” is the international aviation name for "customs and immigration 
And France is one of the very few countries (Germany and Italy are others AFAIK) where there are airports where customs and immigration are separate – example.
