I recently spoke to the police at LFAT regarding their view on the relationship between the HRS AD police presence at the airport (which makes LFAT so totally wonderful a destination for UK visitors, compared to anywhere else in France) and the Macron family house, and they said it is definitely related, because Mr Macron can turn up at any time.
So we must all hope that house doesn’t get sold anytime soon
Does he really fly in to Le Touquet from outside Schengen that often?
The customs officers aren’t really there for a “presidential security” role I would have thought.
They are police and they are there partly for presidential security. A cynic might add that they are there for show to impress the President – a great deal of policing is done for show
Mostly, in GA, police do all the jobs. The only place where I see separation is big (airline) airports.
Went to LFAT a few weeks ago and they didn’t bother us about yellow jackets FWIW.
Same this week.
Anyway, hi-vis is spreading immensely in France these days. From this year, I remember several airfields where at least this was advised by a sign or so: Cherbourg, Blois, Le Castellet spring to mind. But in practice, it is still mostly ignored, yes.
Peter wrote:
it is definitely related, because Mr Macron can turn up at any time.
I have a hard time believing that but who knows ?
If Mr Macron comes to LFAT, the whole local police (and even more) will be posted between the apron to his house.
France is not like Finland where the PM can walk around like anyone else.
My guess would be the police want to deter criminals/keep a close look on what goes on at LFAT, not to have a scandal pop up in Macron city. (see the different GA drug smuggling arrests over Europe)
I admit it might be true, but just might.
We will be sure in 2027 when Macron leaves office !
Anyway, hi-vis is spreading immensely in France these days.
At Beziers LFMU about a year ago I was told I ought to have one. But that was it. I do have a couple in the plane now.
From here
I know of no French pilots who say Le Touquet is the best airport in France. It’s too expensive for a start and unless we are flying to the UK we have no need for C+I. And if we do we would probably go via Calais or make do the 48 hour PN.
Macron also has no need for C+I so why would it make a difference that he has a house there. I also don’t think he spends much time there.
If a president or indeed a Minister of State ever needs C+I or police, they will be delivered to whatever airport the minister chooses to land at. They arrive, meet the plane and disappear all in the matter of a few hours.
So the comments in the previous couple of post show a degree of ignorance of French pilot culture.🙂
Le Touquet has a permanent présence simply because the number of Brit pilots visiting makes it economically profitable to the region.
I am only reporting what others have told me.
Of course The President can fly to Kathmandu tomorrow. That house is however owned by the Macron family. Everybody down there knows this. The security police who hang out in front of the house confirmed it, adding that without this factor they would not likely be at the airport either. The police are at the airport as a show of force – it’s what police do everywhere. There are roughly 3 at the airport and another 10-20 guarding the front and the back of the Macron house. Then others patrolling the town – but that’s normal.
Too expensive at €30? On Friday the F-regs outnumbered the others. It’s true the aeroclub is dead but that’s true at all the “big” airports like e.g. Cherbourg. I’ve flown to over 200 airports around Europe including a huge number of French ones… One exception I recall was Deauville.
French police never had any interest in economic welfare of an airport. They have demonstrated this absolutely overwhelmingly elsewhere since their big move c. 2011. One example thread.
Obviously we hope the Macron family don’t sell the house anytime soon OR the airport has fantastic political connections in the French ruling establishment.
And to be fair the latter may also be a factor. Very visibly at least 50% of housing in the nicer areas of Le T is holiday homes for wealthy Parisians. And these people will have lots of political connections. But only a few of them use the airport.