vab Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 We were surprised to find out that Easyjet do not do La Rochelle to Bristl during the winter months so to go back for Christmas we will have to go further south to Bordeaux to Birmingham which is a pain as all our family live in the west country. We have checked the car parking cost there on line but reading other threads on Forum some say it is free. Does anyone out there know ? One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport and I am sure there are folk who would use it in the winter months as well as people in UK who want to fly to France for Xmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 http://parking.essentialtravel.co.uk/worldairport/france/bordeaux.htmIt is possible to park for free for 30 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers but AFAIK you would have to pay for any longterm parking at Bordeaux Merignac.I don't know where your home is but the other alternative would be to take the train to Bordeaux and then use the airport bus service. However I think that the flight to Birmingham is early in the morning so maybe this would not be an option. If you are driving do allow plenty of time to cross the two bridges and get round the rocade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyG Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Have discovered that nearly all the low cost airlines change their schedule from October which as you say is a big problem. I find that driving back is the better option - when you think of the convenience of being able to transport goodies etc. and really the cost if there are more than 2 of you, even staying overnight on the journey, is fairly comparable. We were caught out recently when flybecom arbitrarily totally cancelled the only flight from Angers to Southampton on "account of the weather" this when the skies were blue and cloudless in both places! People were marooned at Angers and had to club together and hire a taxi and stay in a hotel as the next flight was not until 2 days later! At least if one ferry is "on the blink" there is always an alternative and you are not left feeling helpless.Good luck with your Christmas trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suze01 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 [quote user="vab"]One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport [/quote]Given that bucket airlines chop and change their routes at will, is it a good idea to base a house purchase on a small regional airport? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 "One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport Given that bucket airlines chop and change their routes at will, is it a good idea to base a house purchase on a small regional airport?" Suze, you have made an extremely valid point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith.p Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Fly be .com do Southampton to La Rochelle but not sure when or if their season endsKeith.p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughat Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 As far as I know if you book a package holiday through a travel agent in France then you can get free parking at Bordeaux, if you book the flights yourself then you have to pay.Tony (16) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Fly be .com do Southampton to La Rochelle but not sure when or if their season endsKeith.pDefinitely no Winter schedule on this route, I think the Summer schedules have just finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 [quote user="Suze"][quote user="vab"]One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport [/quote]Given that bucket airlines chop and change their routes at will, is it a good idea to base a house purchase on a small regional airport?[/quote]Well, that's probably true, but it would be unfair to be critical.The market has been created and is healthy, and no amount of evironmental lobbying is going to change it in the short term. (Before anybody jumps down my throat, I'm simply stating a fact rather than slagging off the anti-lc airline brigade).Yes, the lc airlines do change their schedules and routes, but so do the 'national' airlines. BA has (over the last few years) either abandoned or seasonally dropped routes throughout Europe. Annoying if your flight has disappeared just when you want to take it, but this is the commercial world.Ten years ago, with flights to France, there was virtually no choice whatsoever. Five years ago, it had improved tenfold. Now ...............?We're returning to the UK with Ryanair, Nimes - Ltn just before Christmas. Did the same last year and the flight was probably no more than 50% load factor, as opposed to the normal 85% at just about any other time of the year. We're happy they're running it. Need I say more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suze01 Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 I really didn't want it to sound critical of Vab at all, I just wanted to make a comment about relying on a flight route when buying a house if you intend/need to travel to the UK regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie15 Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Bordeaux airport ceratinly isn't free, I've parked there often! La Rochelle isn't now either is it? Other than for the initial half hour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vab Posted November 1, 2006 Author Share Posted November 1, 2006 I would like to thank you all for your helpful comments and I think we will decide to try Limoges to Southampton, not too far from the west country. Once again...Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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