Leg 1: LFPT-LFMV
Departing from LFPT to MONOT we fly a heading of approximately 180° then direct POY NDB (LFPO) thereby getting pretty close to the prohibited area that covers Paris. Somehow I always seem to be departing in the morning, so the lighting is difficult.
Suresnes, Puteaux and La Défense business district (just west of Paris) in the background.
There was still some snow to the east of Clermont-Ferrand.
Mont Ventoux from a little North of Orange.
Les Dentelles de Montmirail (the jagged mountain formation in the background to the right) and Mont Ventoux (the highest peak in the picture) would have been nice for some VFR sight seeing, but with the mistral blowing, I preferred to postpone to more favourable conditions.
The aeroclub at Plan de Dieu – very deserted… at least at lunch time.
This is Calvi parking-grade grass runway at Plan de Dieu
Leg 2: LFMV-LFMK
The GA apron at LFMV and the grass parking at departure heading for Carcassonne. There is clearly a potential for a good fly-in here!
After departure from Avignon (LFMV), Nîmes airport (LFTW)
The city of Nîmes and its roman theater
Camargues
Montpellier
Sète and Agde
I believe this is Béziers
Leg 3: LFMK-LFPT
View out of the hotel window on the morning of departure.
View out of the cockpit window prior to departure
I was on top at F070 and not too far to the north, near Gaillac, in view of the ground
I was above an undercast for a while, then around Limoges it caught up with me and I ended up underneath an overcast just in time to get a peek of Limoges.
Almost home; Evreux airbase (LFOE) South of Rouen.
A meander in the Seine by La Roche-Guyon
All of these pictures were taken between FL060 and FL100, except those of Paris. Sorry about the haze.
Very nice trip, nice meeting everyone. And it was a memorable trip because I had a tailwind on each and every leg!
Finally made it tonight to my home base in Chavenay-Villepreux near Paris (LFPX).
Some pictures of the return adventure.
Here are pictures from the epic return from Carcassonne to Paris/Chavenay on Monday, May 16th (yesterday).
engine didn’t start due to (I presume) humidity build-up in ignition and cylinders and not enough power in the battery. Aircraft didn’t like being parked one full week under the rain. Hopefully, despite a bank holiday, members of APA (Amicale des Pilotes Audois, the local air club) provided friendly support and I was able to depart at 1700 LT.
Flight back in straight line over Massif Central was uneventful and very scenic.
Les gorges de la Dordogne near Brive.
Arrival in Chavenay-Villepreux (LFPX, near Paris) one hour before sunset (this picture was taken 30mn after landing).
Were there aeroclub members at the airport or did you have to call for help?
Does your insurance also pay for the train fare to pick up the plane?
This is a nice epilogue for a nice trip, and it is a trip you will remember… 
If you are member of the FFA (like almost all of French pilots), you have the insurance for such AOG situations, where they will pay your hotel and transportation. The phone number is written on your FFA member card. It is not limited to weather related diversions. From the few reports I have, the insurance seems to work great. I could have used it once (AOG in Venice) but chose to organize and pay everything myself back then because I thought it would take too much time for them to book everything I needed (I had found an Easyjet flight back later that day). But maybe they would have found a good or even better solution, I don’t know!
Good to see you home. What an adventure !
The ceiling didn’t seem very high on your way back.
Glad you got back home, Nestor, and thank you for doing all that work.
Rwy20 wrote:
If you are member of the FFA (like almost all of French pilots), you have the insurance for such AOG situations
Affirm Rw20, I used it. It is an outstanding service provided by French Air clubs Federation (FFA).
Nestor wrote:
Affirm Rw20, I used it. It is an outstanding service provided by French Air clubs Federation (FFA).
It pays the trip home – no question. My question was whether it also pays for the trip back to Carcassonne to pick up the plane.
