If you talk to the nearest approach ATC on the phone your “IFR activation and transponder code” will just as readily be given in English.
English works with CDG/Orly but not Villacoublay on the phone, you gotta speak French when talking to military 
Toussus & StCyr are “FR only” with no ATS
What is the phone number you use for LFFK and how do you get it?
Surely, flying to an FR-only airfield if you can’t speak [enough] French is a contravention of French law – regardless of whether there is anybody around.
For example when I went to Ouessant I had a French speaking pilot in the RHS, but there was absolutely nobody around the airport. No traffic, no people.
Otherwise, you are illegal the moment you start up. Practically you will get away with it but what if a policeman walks up to the plane at that point and orders you (with gestures) to shut down and wants to speak to you?
I guess at Fontnay or Ouessant, one only care about opening FPL and getting TXP code
In Paris, if you are calling by phone for start up you are likely to get join instructions to overfly LeBourget or Villacoublay, it’s likely to be 1 foot long clearance if you are joining a standard departure (you need to have SID all airports handy), one is likely to get that in French with some ATS units (the airfield is FR only)
Sometimes you get FPL/TXP activated and “fly 270” or “climb 3kft”, I gather that is easy to understand…if something, is not clear you gotta ask for it to be repeated or translated
Okay from LFFK I can phone Nantes or La Rochelle. I don’t because its easier to activate on the radio with either of them or with Poitiers depending on the direction I am heading.
Above LFFK is a RA with a floor at 3000’.
It is controlled by Cognac and the controller speaks English. In fact some French pilots will say that she is more comprehensible in English than she is in French:)
I have never tries activating on the phone with Poitiers or La Rochelle but Nantes are very helpful and they pick you up on radar at between 2000’- 2500’.
In taking off from Ouessant with no one around you need about 3 French phrases and can contact Brest in English from about 1000ft.
If AFIS is working you need the same 3 phrases in French but it would be handy to be able to ask for and understand flight information.
As many have said before in flying into fr. Only airfields just think to yourself that if there is anyone around they probably don’t speak English. (Its not quite true but its best to assume that). The legality is less important than the safety aspect TEM.
We have at least 2 UK pilots who regularly fly in and out of LFFK now, and both have hangar space here. Their French is, to be kind, (after all they do fly here and they try.) limited. When they first arrived I gave them a crib sheet which they try to learn and/or use. They stick to this phraseology or as near as they can get to it and they seem to manage quite well despite the fact that some 90% of the local pilots speak less than 5 words of English.
One has to bear in mind that the local pilots had to learn the French phraseology too. When many of us started you didn’t need a radio to fly into LFFK. Come to that you didn’t need one to fly into La Rochelle LFBH.
Can you share phone number for LaRochelle / Nantes to get flight plan “activated” or “started” or “mise en route” on the ground at LFFK? have you tried asking them by phone in English at LFFK or you used French?
Of course, when you call SIV/FIS/ATC while airborne using radio they speak English…
I will try and look out the numbers, if possible at the club this afternoon.
As I wrote, I usually leave the parking at the EOBT on my flight plan, take off, climb and as soon as I exit the zone I contact Nantes, la Rochelle or Poitiers on the radio. I had been using the phrase “request open my flight plan, out of Fontenay Le Comte to eg Brest off block time hhmm. 2000ft QNH.xxxx Lugen hhmm or just minutes” i have been told that I now need to change the word “open” to “activate”. And yes whenever I fly IFR I use English either on the radio or telephone. It was hard work getting ELP level 6 IFR on my licence, I want to take every chance to use it. It also helps to maintain currency, much more difficult than you might think if you don’t use it for a while.
The regulations IIRC call for one to make two way radio contact ASAP after take off.
Justb spoke to one of the instructors at LFFK he used to be an ex Whiz air and ex EasyJet captain.
He looked in the contacts list on his smartphone and gave me for Nantes ATC 024084 8045.
He didn’t have La Rochelle listed and I am not at the club at the moment.
Thanks that sounds helpful, I think I have Nantes number on my UK phone somewhere, my experience is that Villacoublay talks in French on phone or radio when Toususs has no ATS, mot sure if other ATSU do the same?
@Ibra La Rochelle is 05 46 00 13 80 I think.
It is the number in our contacts book but it could be the one we use to make arrangements to take students for the BIA to see the way a control tower works. As I wrote I don’t tend to use it. I can talk to La Rochelle almost immediately after take off.
Thanks, it will come handy around Sables Delonne LFOO
