Picardie

[Gardian]

Forgive me if this isn't news to those of you in Northern France.

I was just checking out the Jet2 website for their Leeds - Avignon schedules for next Summer and noticed that there's a Leeds - Albert twice-weekly service 20/4 - 5/7.  No idea whether they ran this in Summer 2008, or for that matter why it stops from early-July.

[Fay]

Thank you Gardian, very kind of you to point that out.

[Chancer]

I have posted this before when the deal was done but not publicised, it will be the first flights for our new airport.

The sad reason why they are stopping just as the tourist season comes to its peak is that virtually every hotel, restaurant, bar, cafe, boulangerie etc around here closes for 5 weeks during les vacances despite the fact that most of them are barely breaking even.

The tourist office and regional development  has tried in vain to change this crazy attitude without any success at all, although we now have a Hôtel Ibis which opened just in time last year to accomodate the July and August rush of visitors, they are already planning to add on two more stories to double the amount of rooms but sadly there still will not be enough room for the summer visitors.

 

[Fay]

Oh, sorry JR, I missed that I think.

Leeds no good for me anyway, and flying no good with cat. But for friends coming over it might be a bonus, and maybe other other GB airlines/airports might pick up on Albert...

As it's only about an hour from my house I shall keep an eye on how things develop (or not).

But gosh, the summer situation you describe is unrecognisable to me. Here on the baie I don't think anyone takes a moment off during the season...

[tuppence]

Just had a look at the Jet2 website. My friends live in Sheffield and would benefit enormously from flights from Leeds to Albert. As I live in Pas de Calais it would also be a fairly easy run to collect them. The flight so far are on Mondays and Fridays with flights leaving Leeds at 14.20 GMT and landing at 16.30ET. Flight back from Albert are at 17.00 ET and landing at 17.20GMT at a return cost of £70. Saving my friends 8 or 9 hours travel time overall and about £100 to boot[:)]. Seems a bit short sighted of the local tourist industry though to close down at a time when most people would be coming over.

tuppence

[Chancer]

I have read several books by both French and English authors set in this area (usually during one of the world wars) the Picardie character hasnt changed a jot and I think it will take several more generations before people accept that the world is hanging or has changed around them.

We recieve over 250,000 tourists during the summer season according to the office de tourisme, the museums and memorial visitor centres on the circuit de souvenir are all open and well promoted it is the eating and sleeping that is the problem, currently those that do not stay at predominantly British run chambre d'hôtes stay at Amiens, Arras or Lille. Most of the guided battlefield tours have to spend a lot of time picking up their customers from these areas.

I am sure that there will be other airlines following suit, I hear lots of informed and not so informed rumours, this deal has taken 2 years to come to fruition so watch this space!

It is may just possible that Jet2's schedule currently ends at that date to put pressure on the hebergement owners, time will tell. 

[Fay]

Wow those flights are excellent - timings and price. Here's hoping it develops further!