Bordeaux
(LFBS-LFBH)
For Saturday, June 4, 2022
Michael MacKuen

This afternoon we visit the Bordeaux region in light aircraft. The metropolitan area (1.4 million) is the sixth largest in France and the main city of the west coast. It has long been an important port, it is home for a number of aviation-and-space companies (including Dassault), and it is a large university city. The historic city and coastal beaches are major attractions for tourists and vacationers. Most famously, Bordeaux is the “world capital” of wine with its castles and vineyards standing on the hillsides of the Gironde and its hosting the world’s main wine fair, Vinexpo.



We begin our day at Biscarrosse - Parentis [LFBS], a campus of the prestigious École nationale de l’aviation civile. (This grande école is dedicated to civil aviation. The Biscarrosse campus concentrates on VFR flight and air traffic controller training.) Shortly after takeoff, we see the Dune of Pilat [PILAT], the tallest sand dune in Europe. It’s worth getting down low to appreciate its 320’ height. A quick swerve westward brings us by the Cap Ferret Lighthouse [FERET] and then over the pleasure boat-filled Arcachon Bay. We land on the grass strip at Andernos [LFCD].

Then on to the Bordeaux area. First we execute a low-flight over Runway 05-23 of the international airport Bordeaux-Merignac [LFBD]. The complex of buildings just north of the runway is the large manufacturing facility of Dassault Aviation. This site plays the lead role in the business jet part of the company and it is the final assembly/delivery point for all Dassault aircraft, both civilian and military. We continue on to the northeast to pass over the ruins of the Blanquefort [FORT], the “white fort.” During the middle-ages, this multi-towered stronghold was  used by English kings as well as other lords to command the Gironde. We continue on to pass over another edifice, Bordeaux’s new stadium (Matmut Atlantique) – used for the local professional football team as well as for international competitions. Crossing over the Garonne River, we land at nearby Yvrac [LFDY], a small general aviation airfield.

We shall head eastward to the wine country of the Dordogne whose blends tend toward softer and elegant Merlot and Cabernet Franc wines. We fly over Libourne [LIB] and Saint-Emilion [EMIL] and pass some of the best vineyards of the area, including Château Cheval Blanc [BLANC] and Château Ausone [AUSON]. (Here and elsewhere, a number of famous vineyards are marked on the flightplan to provide a sense of the area’s riches. However, the actual chateau are represented in MFS by Black-Shark approximations. You can “sort of see the actual shape of the buildings” but you will not be impressed. These vineyards and chateaux are worth a quick glance but do not merit close scrutiny.)

A few miles on we encounter the Château de Montaigne [MONTA]. This castle and mansion was home to Michel de Montaigne, the Renaissance “inventor” of the essay as a literary device. This model is worth a quick circle to get a closer look. We land at Sainte-Foy-la-Grande [LFDF], an aerodrome located on high ground overlooking the Dordogne valley.

We fly a few miles further to execute a touch-and-go at Bergerac Dordogne Perigord [LFBE], a quiet commercial airport. And then swing immediately 2 miles to the south to visit the Château de Monbazillac [MONB]. The well-preserved 16^th century castle/mansion is now a museum and hosts local vineyards specializing in sweet white wines. It is worth getting low for a closer look.

We fly over the countryside down to the Garonne, the second of the two rivers that define this wine-growing-region. We land at Marmande-Virazeil [LFDM]. Marmande was founded by Richard Coeur de Lion (!) around 1195. It is now famous for its tomatoes rather than wine.

We continue along the Garonne with its many vineyards. This is the historic core territory of Bordeaux wines, both red and white. We shall head for Sauternes whose sweet whites are famous world-wide. We pivot over the Château d'Yquem [YQEM], whose iconic wine was awarded a Premier Cru Superieur standing for its excellence (and high prices). We continue through the Garonne valley to land at the Aérodrome de Bordeaux-Léognan-Saucats [LFCS]. This is a busy general aviation field with both a hard runway and a grass strip. It serves a number of flying clubs and flight training as well as considerable gliding activity. With 50,000 movements a year, it ranks among the top GA fields in the southwest of France. A good spot for learning to fly.



Next is the historic city and port of Bordeaux. We head for the Francois Mitterand Bridge [MIT] to follow the Garonne into the city. At 1.4 miles along, our first sight is a modest eight-story office building sited on the left bank along with a multi-story carpark, warehouses and a railway station. This is (or may soon be) occupied by Asobo [ASOBO], a computer games company that a few million citizens of the world know well. It seems to be especially well-depicted with an interior filled with desks and computer monitors.

From its medieval days, Bordeaux was known as the “Port of the Moon” due to the crescent shape of the river as it cut through the city. This section, along with the historic left bank, is now recognized by UNESCO as having exceptional historic value. We fly along the river to see the sights including the Tower of Saint-Michel, the classic Saint-Andre Cathedral, the Place de la Bourse, the Bordeaux Convention Center (a blue hot air balloon marks the current address of Asobo Studios), the Jacques Chaban-Delmas Bridge, and the special Cité du Vin museum. Off to the left are the practically indestructible submarine pens from WWII. We then enjoy the drama of the Aquitaine Bridge [AQTAN].

Then we head up the Médoc on the left bank of the Gironde Estuary, home to 1,500 vineyards including many of unusually high quality. The blends are dominated by richer, bolder Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec grapes. Among the wineries here are those acclaimed to be among the very best of the world. We shall visit four of Bordeaux’s top five: Château Margaux [C_M], Château Latour [C_L], Château Mouton Rothschild [C_MR] and Château Lafite Rothschild [C-LR]. (Again, the actual representations are generic and not worth close inspection.) We land at Lesparre Saint Laurent Medoc [LFDU], a well-maintained home to light aircraft and an aero club.

Next, we cross the Gironde to Royan Médis [LFCY], an historic airport of the 1930s. We continue along the coast passing the beach resort Royan [ROYAN] and its large marina, the Coubre Lighthouse [COU], and enjoy the wild beauty of the Côte Sauvage [SAVAG]. We then fly onto the Ile d’Oléron, now a popular vacation spot. Our first sight is the massive Citadel of Château-d’Oléron [CITEL], built in the 17^th and 18^th centuries as a strategic fortress to protect the west coast. Worth a quick low circle to see the dramatic Vauban-engineered design. Then we proceed up the island to Saint-Pierre d’Oléron [LFDP].

Finally, we circle around the north end of the island to see the 150-ft Chassiron Lighthouse [CHASS], the historic fishing village La Brée-les-Bains, and the popular beaches along the coast. Then we turn east over Fort Boyard [BOY], built as a naval gun position that quickly became obsolete. It was recently redeveloped and is now famous as a site for “reality” television shows in France and around Europe. We continue on to the historic port La Rochelle, passing low over the Old Port [PORT] to admire the historic towers that guarded its entrance. And then we land at our final destination La Rochelle Île de Ré [LFBH]. This is a small commercial airport with a heavy dose of general aviation activity.

Documentation
The flightplan(s) can be found here. (There are two nearly identical flightplans. One has several more minor waypoints and more labeling; the other is cleaner. A matter of taste.) Some good news is that all the airports are in the Garmin database.
NOTAM. As a leisurely sightseeing excursion, you might best enjoy it at a low altitude. Again, a matter of taste.

Aircraft
This is a general aviation flight of 290nm with nine landings, some of which are modest grass airfields. (There are no “airmanship challenges.) We shall want a light aircraft that can "fast cruise" at 150kts. I shall choose the RV-14A (by SimWorks Studios) in the N714VA livery by Ron Attwood. As ever, fly what you like.

Additional Scenery
All the airports are in the default simulator. I recommend some attractive airport and landmark packages and but they are not necessary.

Recommended:
Bicarosse Parentis (LFBS). Metalix65.
Marmande Virazeil (LFDM). Washida.
Royan Medis (LFCY). MaxGG60.
Saint-Pierre d’Oleron (LFDP). MaxGG60.
Ile d’Oleron. (Landscape). MaxGG60.
Fort Boyard. Ivanov.
La Rochelle Ile de Re (LFBH). faf010.
La Rochelle Landmarks. mv46.
In addition, mv46 has a number of separate Bordeaux area landmarks: Cite du Van, Blanquefort, Stade Bordeaux, Monbazillac, Montaigne, Libourne, Saint-Emilion.

Temporarily, you can download the entire package here. [426mb]

Also, please DISABLE Puffin’s “We Love VFR 1” for Europe. (Too many cranes for Bordeaux.)

Time and Weather
For takeoff on Saturday, set the simulator at 3:00 pm local for June 4, 2022.
We typically prefer real weather. The plan is for a late-summer-afternoon-sunlight flight but the current forecast is for thunderstorms at that time. We shall see what works best.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022. 1800 UTC
Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel
Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server.

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!

Asobo has their home base covered! 🙂

If any of you were brave enough or colour blind and downloaded this you might need this:

Go to the aircraft.cfg and change the line 'Texture="WIP" to Texture="N114AZ"

and all will be made right.

Sorry about that.

4 minutes ago, Ron Attwood said:

 

Go to the aircraft.cfg and change the line 'Texture="WIP" to Texture="N114AZ"

 

Just added it to the Saturday speadsheet.  I loaded it up and was quite surprised.  Went back to flightsim.to and read your note.  I'm Arizona proud now!

Top man Jeff. 👍

 

EDIT: You're flying that? I'll have my Ray Burns ready.

Edited June 3, 20224 yr by Ron Attwood