Airport Le Castellet (LFMQ) IFR
Le Castellet, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France 🇫🇷
3.0 ∅ rating
Runways
1 RWY, 1485m/4872ft 1 Runway, longest: 1485m/4872ft (paved)
What other pilots say about LFMQ
One of the relatively few GA airfields between Marseille and Nice. LFMQ is not a port of entry for most of the year; nevertheless, PN 24 h in advance is required year-round for all arrivals and departures, including from Schengen countries. Annoying! Flights to/from Switzerland are possible year-round. And: providing personal data by informal email is not sufficient; it has to be a "GenDec." All the more absurd because the original ICAO Annex 9 form doesn’t even have a field for passenger data. Instead, I used this and it worked: https://www.hannover-airport.de/fileadmin/downloads/General_Aviation/General_Declaration_form_052024.pdf Otherwise, good email communication in advance. Parking stands PE1–PE6 have steel tie-down cables. Hi-vis is now mandatory here too. The airfield remains very chic and upmarket. There are also two hotels near the airfield (Hotel & Spa Du Castellet, 5 stars, 100 m away, and Grand Prix Hotel, 3 stars, 600 m away). Both have a restaurant. The essentially medieval hilltop village of Le Castellet is very small but quite nice and authentic; it too is a few kilometers from the airfield. In principle, rental cars can be arranged at the airfield with prior notice. However, they are brought in from a Europcar station well away from the field (Bandol), so costs are quite high. An Uber ordered on the spot arrived at the airfield after 15 minutes, though we may have been lucky. The ride down to St.-Cyr-sur-Mer (or Bandol) took just under 15 minutes and cost €36. We rented a car there via Getaround. There’s Europcar in Bandol. St. Cyr is just a standard seaside resort. By far the nicest place in the area is Cassis; therefore it’s also very touristy. Boat tours to the nearby Calanques are offered, and there are boat rentals as well (e.g., locbateau.fr). Toulon and Marseille are also easy to reach by car. AVGAS at €3.15 is far too expensive. Fees: for 1–2 t, one landing including 24 h parking is €42. But each additional started day is another €42, so it adds up. There is only a small bar right in the terminal building. You can also hangar the aircraft overnight (not cheap). AFIS hours are rather short, and visiting aircraft are not permitted to land or depart outside AFIS hours.
LFMQ requires 24-hour prior notice (PNR) for all arrivals and departures, including intra-Schengen flights. Notification must be submitted via https://cy.myhandlingsoftware.com for flight plan arrivals or https://www.touchngo.fr for other movements; email to operations@aeroportducastellet.com is also accepted. A General Declaration (Gendec) form is mandatory for all international and Schengen flights, not just a simple email with passenger data. Authorization is required before arrival, and a pilot booklet with briefing information must be signed on site.
The airfield is uncontrolled but operates with a professional attitude; clearances are required even for ground movements. Opening hours are limited, and the airport may close when crosswinds reach 15 knots or higher. The location at 1400 feet elevation can cause strong winds, turbulence, and downdrafts, especially with northerly winds; caution is advised on approach. IFR procedures involve climbing in the hold to 5000 ft due to terrain.
Facilities include tie-downs with steel cables (PE1–PE6), hangars available on request, and two hotels on site. There is little infrastructure beyond this; a small bar is mentioned, and restaurants are located 100–600 meters from the terminal. Europcar delivers rental cars to the airport, and taxis or Uber can be arranged, with rides to nearby towns such as St.-Cyr-sur-Mer or Bandol taking around 15 minutes and costing about €40. The area offers access to the Paul Ricard race circuit, vineyards, and coastal villages.
Avgas is available but notably expensive compared to other French airports. Example: landing plus 24-hour parking about €40–€50; each additional day about €40–€50. For stays under 24 hours with aircraft under 2 tonnes, a special rate applies (about €40). Fees are generally considered high. Hi-vis vests are required on the apron.
Customs/immigration require strict adherence to notification procedures even for intra-Schengen flights; procedures vary—see AIP/NOTAM. The airport offers scenic approaches but operational complexity due to paperwork and wind conditions should be anticipated.
Fuel Availability
Source: OpenAIP community data. Contact FBO for current pricing.
Useful Links
* = login required
Nearby Airfields
Airfields in the same geographic area
Fuel Availability
Source: OpenAIP community data. Contact FBO for current pricing.
Useful Links
* = login required
Nearby Airfields
Airfields in the same geographic area