Leg 45 Nice to Toulouse, France
DAY10_6.PLN (5.2 KB)
A shorter route than usual, I actually had some more sleep and other things to do which didn’t allow multi-tasking with MSFS. My plan to explore the Pyrenees today got spoiled by the weather, however it ended up as one of the most epic flights yet.
10-06 Nice/Cote d’Azur LFMN 6:17 AM Cannes just before Mandelieu
10-06 Mandelieu LFMD 6:29 AM
10-06 La Mole LFTZ 6:53 AM Pretty place to land
10-06 Le Castellet LFMQ 7:16 AM Marseille halfway
10-06 Marseille/Provence LFML 7:44 AM
10-06 Marseille/Provence LFML 9:51 AM
10-06 Les Milles (Aix-en-Provence) LFMA 10:06 AM
10-06 Caumont (Avignon) LFMV Pont du Gard West 10:19 AM
10-06 Courbessac LFME 10:40 AM
10-06 Montpellier/Mediterranee LFMT 10:53 AM
10-06 Larzac LFCM 11:20 AM Viaduc de Millau North-West
Can’t interact with glass cockpit anymore, restart
10-06 Larzac LFCM 11:41 AM
10-06 Cassagnes-Begonnes LFIG 12:08 PM
10-06 Le Sequestre LFCI 12:35 PM
10-06 Blagnac (Toulouse) LFBO 1:41 PM
Flight time: 4:56 12 stops
The weather started off nice enough, Pointe Croisette along Cote d’Azure
Which is just ahead of Cannes (when going West)
Cannes, of course known for its international film festival
Interesting marina a bit further, Port Grimaud
Next along the coast is Saint-Tropez
A place I associate with Louis de Funès and the movies he starred in starting with Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez. His Gendarme movies were a favorite when I grew up.
Le Castellet and circuit Paul Ricard
A lap around the circuit
Parc national des Calanques, the weather turned
I doubt it would have looked much better in full sunlight, this is what it really looks like
Higher resolution mesh needed
Marseille with Le Dôme de Marseille at the bottom
Cathédrale La Major neo-Byzantine cathedral from the 1800’s
Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde at the highest point of the city
It is crowned by a golden statue of the Virgin Mary by Lequesne and there are model ships hanging from the ceiling inside. That’s different. I learned a new word today ex-voto
Aix-en-Provence looking at Fontaine de la Rotonde from 1860
I did not expect to find a memorial to the Armenian genocide here
The first genocide of the 20th century in Europe, mostly forgotten, 1.5 million Armenians methodically killed by the Ottoman government (Turkey) between 1914 and 1923.
Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur d’Aix-en-Provence
On to Avignon, it keeps getting darker
For once, the sunken bridge is sort of accurate
The remains of Pont D’avignon aka Pont Saint-Bénézet, originally build in the 12th century
And now that song is stuck in my head again
Pont du Gard, partially lit by lightning in the distance
Build in the first century by the Romans to transport water 50 km to Nemausus now Nîmes
Montpellier, lit by lightning as well. Too dark! Looking at Montpellier National Opera
It’s a shame it’s so dark, Montpellier is quite beautiful
Arc du Triomphe
Interesting modern architecture as well, L’Arbre Blanc
The weather kept getting worse and worse, Larzac
Using synthetic vision to find the runway, which wasn’t visible until right on top of it
Pushing on, Viaduc de Millau
Sagging under the weight of the rain I guess
The highest cable stayed bridge in the world from 2004 to 2012
Ok, enough trying to see under the clouds, time to climb! It sure is a rough ride though the clouds, getting thrown around a lot. After getting above 12K ft I can see!
Lightning in the sky on the way Cassagnes-Begones
I went down to land, could just make out the runway. Back to the sky
On the way to Le Sequestre
Yikes, it’s getting close
Down for a landing again, rough rough, nothing to see, back up again.
Watching the sunset on the way to Blagnac (Toulouse)
I’m only flying 80 knots, too beautiful up here to leave
What an end to a rough ride, amazing flying around here
By the time I got down to Toulouse it was pitch black. Luckily a well lit runway and a gap under the clouds to see it. Despite the rough weather higher up, a very smooth landing. What a ride!