The Brittany Coast Under the Sun

Beautiful blue sky in Brittany, ideal conditions for lunch in Saint-Brieuc on the Armor coast. The return flight will follow the Emerald Coast, from Binic to Mont Saint-Michel, passing through Saint-Malo. Get your cameras ready, it’s going to be a spectacular sight!

The weather forecast predicts cloud cover above 5000 feet and visibility greater than 10 kilometers. Only a strong easterly wind will delay the return flight by about ten minutes. I ran the preflight checks in the hangar and then brought the aircraft out to the parking area. We boarded the plane and started the engine. I listened to the ATIS, and then informed the control tower of our intentions. I ran engine tests and then took off from runway 10. A short climb to 2500 feet and headed towards Saint-Brieuc, which we reached after forty minutes. Standard approach to the airfield, I integrated into the downwind leg, and landed on runway 06. A nearby restaurant, “L’Envol,” a casual roadside eatery, allowed us to have a hearty meal. It was pleasant to only have to walk a few steps to have lunch; it’s not always the case.

After the meal, we took a short digestive walk and then got back into the plane. We climbed to 3000 feet, initially heading northwest towards Binic. Then we turned east. After a while, Cap Fréhel appeared on our right side, with the island of Jersey on the left, on the horizon. The port of Saint-Malo followed, with its large beach. The Bay of the Priory is occupied by a ferry. We flew over the Pointe du Grouin and then headed towards Mont Saint-Michel. Since the SIV (Service d’Information Aérienne – Air Information Service) indicated traffic in the area, I paid close attention to the radio messages from other aircraft and was extra vigilant visually. We returned to Rennes and landed after 1 hour and 20 minutes of flying. In total, our outing lasted 2 hours.