The requirement for a very smooth and hassle-free Customs stop became a lot bigger than France recently removed Customs from about 50 airports.
It seems a really stupid move because Customs almost never actually turned up at any of these, so where was the cost? Unless the abolition enabled France to stop paying a lot of officers who mostly sat around in some office?
The best I know of on the N French coast are Caen LFRK (where I paid under €5 on a trip to Libourne LFDI this weekend, and which opens amazingly early in the morning) and Cherbourg LFRC (which from memory is about €10). Then there is Le Touquet LFAT which is about €20 (allegedly €10 for French pilots but the desk denied this the other day, saying they pay €18).
I have never seen any "pilot delaying activity" at any of the above. All have an ILS, too, which is free. LFAT is especially good for S. UK pilots who are going East e.g. Czech Rep etc.
Caen needs a fax PNR (basically you can just send them the GAR form) the day before; the other two you can just turn up.
I have just experianced a ripp off at Le Touquet coming from UK. Landing fee 27 Euro for a stay of 45 Minutes with C182 and 8 Euro on top for refueling, which is free commonly on other airports. Suggest to avoid LFAT. And of course have not seen any customs there.
What was the €27 breakdown? Do they charge for passengers?
Would you feel better about the fees if someone from Customs had turned up??? It is standard procedure for customs to turn up only every now and then. I am much happier when they don't, thus saving me my time.
While 27 Euros is indeed slightly high when comparing Calais, Cherbourg, Deauville, etc., it can hardly be called a rip-off. It's an IFR airport with all a GA pilot can wish for. But even if you don't agree, a very quick look around your favourite GA forum would've given you the information about the landing fee...
Excuse my rant, but if pilots flying a 182 across national borders moan at paying 27 Euros for an international airport, it is no wonder that the GA infrastructure slowly dwindles.
Re the fuelling fee, I don't like it either, but I look at these things pragmatically: in May, the fuel at L2K was 13 cents cheaper than at Calais, so the fee would have been easily offset by topping-up your 182. Maybe the price delta has changed now.
Can't beat the above, but for info, Dinard this weekend was €20 (up to 24 hours parking is free).
Fuel is a bit of a hassle, as you have to get a key from the fire staton, self fuel and the return the key.
Customs don't require notice and to/from the terminal has fast and hasslefree.
@ Peter: 27 Euro was landing fee only, they did not charge for passengers. @ boscomantico: to make things clear: My destination was Calais. I had to divert due to an accident, the runway was closed shortly while arriving at the IAF. As you I do not need customs and I do not like their service, for what? My critic at LFAT is independent from customs service. Calais is also an international airport with ILS, how can they exist with a landing fee of 10 Euro? And take a look to the USA where small aircraft can land and stay free of charge. The 182 is a small plane with an MTOW much below 2 to. OK, I can afford landing at international airports, but hig landing fee for only showing the papers or not plus refueling charge is not fair.
Calais is also an international airport with ILS, how can they exist with a landing fee of 10 Euro?
They can't. No airport can fund itself on such landing fees. You can only just about run a grass strip full of potholes on such a landing fee.
The answer is a taxpayer subsidy 
I think one could run a hard runway airport, just a very basic place, on a €20 landing fee, if it was
)It would be potentially a lot easier if there was commercial property income.
