Hi all, long time lurker here!
I’ll be visiting LFLP Annecy next week, flying our DA42 down from Oslo (ENGM) via a couple of days in Strasbourg (LFST).
Having never been in the area before, I’d be super grateful for tips or pointers to pax-friendly scenic flights in the area to see the alps and surroundings (weather permitting of course, I’ll be IFR with FIKI/TKS on the other legs). Anyone with experience from the area with some good tips?
Altough, it‘s been said many times before: while still in winter season, avoid landing or taking off on a Saturday, lest you get stung by expensive handling charges.
As for scenic flights, I would fly down the lake and up to Megeve, show them the altiport and then climb to 12500 for a lap around Mont Blanc. Needs the right conditions of course.
You can also do the VFR transit route from Annecy to Mountreux south of Geneva lake even enter the rhone valley toward Sion, or flying south toward chambery and Grenoble, basically staying on the side of the mountains, you get great views but a bit more permissive on the weather than going into the alps which of course is great.
I wouldn’t put too much hope for scenic flights next week because the weather will probably be pretty unpredictable in the area. However, Annecy itself is nice city and you can spend 2-3 days exploring it. If you have time, short hops to nearby Lyon LFLY, Dijon LFSD and Dole LFGJ could be nice.
Thanks for the recommendations, much appreciated!
We enjoyed the Easter week in Annecy and the surrounding area (Doussard and Lyon), but opted instead to take the train to Lyon on Friday as the winds indeed were nowhere close to suitable for a scenic flight on Thursday/Friday (40G50 and SIGMET for severe turbulence in the area). Arrival into Annecy was spectacular, coming in along the alps over Lausanne and Geneva lake into the RNP approach for runway 04.
Came back to Annecy Saturday morning, and departed back to Norway via fuel stop in EDBN Neubrandenburg on Saturday afternoon. I will definitely aim to come back later in the spring/summer for some proper VFR sightseeing, as the area is beautiful (along with the wine!)
So did they charge you 250ish for handling then, or not?
Yes – they charged me 120 EUR for handling for departing on a Saturday in winter season. Speaking with the woman in the service desk, I understood that it would have normally been approx. 240 EUR handling if departing with passengers, but that they could reduce it to 120 EUR for crew-only (pilot + “co-pilot”). Annoying charge of course as no services were really provided, but was the best option for me in the end as repositioning to Lyon wasn’t an option on Friday.
Yes – they charged me 120 EUR for handling for departing on a Saturday in winter season.
I arrived and departed on a weekday and paid €60.
