You would not embark on the trans-atlantic flight until the wx is very good all the way.
With IFR, the preflight aspects are quick nowadays. What takes time, as ever, is checking out the airports. Only a % of European airports can be just flown to, with absolutely no checking beforehand, but once you know how some place works then it is pretty easy.
I used to write for the PPL/IR mag too, years ago. I think they like interesting reports, not ones which just went smoothly, on which there is little to write about 
johnh wrote:
I know “stall” (décrochage) because every time I fly AF I ask the pilot if he knows how to recover them…
:)
Although I agree with much of what skydriller has written about small French aerodromes I would point out that many are busier on a Wednesday afternoon than they are at weekends.
You would not embark on the trans-atlantic flight until the wx is very good all the way.
OK, substitute Goose Bay for Narsassauq… speaking as one of the very few people who have flown commercial to Goose Bay. We were on a BA flight SFO-LHR and we did a medical diversion there. After we landed the captain came on and said in his very British voice “Welcome to Goose Bay. A first time for all of us, I’m sure”. Then we sat there for two hours while they no doubt dealt with a mountain of paperwork. Quite what medical condition means you’d be better of in Goose Bay than waiting a bit longer to go somewhere that might have, like, a hospital, is hard to imagine.
johnh wrote:
but the time spent planning them is way more than the number of flight hours. Not sure how many of those I’ll have the energy for.
As mentioned, staying within France keeps the planning to a minimum and still allows for lots of flying on up to 3 hour trips from Cannes.
johnh wrote:
I know “stall” (décrochage) because every time I fly AF I ask the pilot if he knows how to recover them…
Oh, very good..LOL!!!
