weekend in France

Does anybody know of a date of an open day for the storage area on the other side of the airfield ?

A couple of years ago it was in September, in line with the Heritage Days in France – a bit of searching may show if they are doing the same in the future.

Roger – I don’t speak French, but I can manage and certainly don’t find the critical data in a website incomprehensible because it’s not in English. All part of the fun of travelling…

Have a good time!

When I visited last July tripods were not permitted and had to be keft at the front desk at reception to be collected later. In some areas the lighting is not too bad and good results were still possible without a tripod.

It was my first visit since 1985 last year. Some new additions although the large number of aircraft outside had reduced with many in store on the far side of the airfield. The B747 is worth a walk through.

Does anybody know of a date of an open day for the storage area on the other side of the airfield ?

Thanks for hints/tips/comment

jbs – it suprises me that such “World class” museums do not cater for their prospective foreign visitors a little more. I guess the British Museums have more of an excuse in that English is spoken more widely than most other (European) languages and, yes I know, the French are very protective of French.

JDK – I’ve tried about four times to learn French and failed miserably each time :confused: Also, I had thought in investing in a monopod as that may be a little more acceptable – but suppose I’ll have to buy some fast film instead.

TonyA – will be disappointed not to see the engine room. I was delighted at the Brussels Museum a couple of years ago to come across an R.A.F. 4a with a maker’s plate “Daimler, Coventry” on it – built in my home city.

Roger Smith

A couple of extra points FWIW:

1. The 747 closes during lunchtime – I think this is a pretty good presentation and well worth going through – much more interesting than their Concorde set-up.
2. The ‘engine room’ appears to be closed – it was certainly not accessible the other week and the sign on the door suggested this was a permanent state ‘for reasons of enhanced security’.

Tony Andrews

Your are really old school JDK… just so… British ! 😉

?Quoi?

Your are really old school JDK… just so… British ! 😉

Just a couple of notes from a visit a few years ago.

They don’t like you using a tripod, even if you carry it around under your jacket… :diablo: I got told off, and had to park it. Got the shots I wanted first though!

Don’t miss the two displays – one of engines, the other of models – in the side rooms of ‘La Grande Gallerie’; the old terminal building. As you enter, they are on your left halfway and 3/4 of the way into the hall – they are easy to overlook, but the contents and displays are amazing.

An English version of the website would be nice, but a big boy like you should be able to manage without, and the French have no good reason to make one, and a number of cultural reasons not to make one. 😉

I am suprised a museum of such stature doesn’t have an English version

Roger,

This is not a critisysm just a comment, neither the IWM nor the Science Museum has a French language version of their site so why should the Musee de L’Air have an English version ?

Thanks TonyA.
Friend I’m going with had looked at the Musee de L’air site but was unclear. I am suprised a museum of such stature doesn’t have an English version.

Roger Smith.

Am planning a two day trip in mid August to France
Sat – fly to Orly, by train to La Ferte-Alais, by train to le Bourget for hotel.
Sun – Musee de L’Air and possibly train to Musee des Art et Metier, train back to Orly for evening flight home.

One specific question at moment (although other hints/tips welcome) if anyone can answer:
In Bob Ogden’s book the Musee de L’Air is down as closing on Sat/Sun from 12.00 to 14.00 (long lunch hour!) – is this still the case? If so may try a dash to Art et metier and back in those two hours.

Roger Smith.

Non – it’s open all day – I was there last Sunday.

Opening times

Tony Andrews