Flying in French Riviera

[RogerMav]

Hi,

Looking for help to be sure I don´t get in problems or a fine when flying in France.

I´m planing to go from Spain to French Riviera by end of May. Would like to ask for help from some one living in France to be sure I have understanded all about flying in France correctly. I have done the training and test in Fox AlphaTango, registered the Drone and plan to use the geoportail.gouv.fr map for authorized areas to fly. So any area that has no color I can fly up to 150 meters heigh? yellow is 100 mt orange 50 mt and pink 30 mt and red not flying at all? So if this is true I apparently see quite a few nice places to fly in that area.

Anyway looking for suggestions on some drone filming and pictures areas in cote d'azurr?

I was thinking near Cap Camarat or Etang de Leucate area. Also when crossing border from Spain to France in Le Perthus, to take some images of the Fort Bellegarde. Or any better suggestions? I noticed some clear areas near St Tropez and other towns. But preferable looking for not very crowded areas so to avoid complains from people about privacy or which don´t like drones.

I can fly also in Cap d'antibes with maximum altitude of 50 meters?

Thanks for any help or recommendations.

If needed I can attach some screen captures of the MAP areas that I have looked at in Geoportail.

 

[logge]

Hi,

I live in Antibes since many years back. It's a very beautiful place that looks great from a drone, but unfortunately it is very hard to fly legally near the coastline. The French rules basically say that you cannot fly over buildings, people or public spaces, and the entire coast is densely populated. You understood the geoportail map correctly, but do know that it is only there as an assistance.

There are some places where it can be done, as you saw in my video from Antibes. I was flying in a very narrow band of allowed airspace, but the drone was warning about proximity to restricted areas constantly. The same is true for Cap d'Antibes, while geoportail does say you can fly there up to 50 meters, I would recommend that you go very early in the morning if you do, as there will be lots of people around during the day. Also, don't try to fly in over land, those huge mansions that are located there are mostly owned by Russian oligarchs, they value their privacy...

If you want to fly close to the coast, you are much better off doing it on the way here from Spain, where it's much less populated.

Personally I prefer to fly more up in the mountains where there is less people around. Since you are driving here, I would really recommend going up a bit in the Alps. Within an hour or so from Nice, you have huge areas where you can fly without any restrictions, and capture beautiful scenery. Another pearl that you should not miss which is on the way here, is Gorges du Verdon, there are some restrictions there, but mostly you can fly without problems.

Here are a couple of videos I took around here.

Enjoy your visit in France, it will be a great experience for sure!

 

[RogerMav]

Hi,

I live in Antibes since many years back. It's a very beautiful place that looks great from a drone, but unfortunately it is very hard to fly legally near the coastline. The French rules basically say that you cannot fly over buildings, people or public spaces, and the entire coast is densely populated. You understood the geoportail map correctly, but do know that it is only there as an assistance.

There are some places where it can be done, as you saw in my video from Antibes. I was flying in a very narrow band of allowed airspace, but the drone was warning about proximity to restricted areas constantly. The same is true for Cap d'Antibes, while geoportail does say you can fly there up to 50 meters, I would recommend that you go very early in the morning if you do, as there will be lots of people around during the day. Also, don't try to fly in over land, those huge mansions that are located there are mostly owned by Russian oligarchs, they value their privacy...

If you want to fly close to the coast, you are much better off doing it on the way here from Spain, where it's much less populated.

Personally I prefer to fly more up in the mountains where there is less people around. Since you are driving here, I would really recommend going up a bit in the Alps. Within an hour or so from Nice, you have huge areas where you can fly without any restrictions, and capture beautiful scenery. Another pearl that you should not miss which is on the way here, is Gorges du Verdon, there are some restrictions there, but mostly you can fly without problems.

Here are a couple of videos I took around here.

Enjoy your visit in France, it will be a great experience for sure!

Awesome videos and thanks for the tips.

 

[wco81]

Thanks for the info. Logge.

I will be visiting Provence and Corsica in June next year. I've been studying the Geoportail map as well.

I see that the western part of the St. Jean Cap Ferrat peninsula is a purple zone, up to 30 meters. But are there public spaces from which you can launch there? I know it's mostly mansions in the peninsula, though I've visited the Phare in the southern tip there.

I also see that most of the area above the Gorges du Verdon and the Lac de Sainte Croix are orange (50 meters, above takeoff point) with red zones for villages like Aiguines. and then a few red hexagons between villages. Maybe they're churches or something?

I've also been looking at the villages in the Luberon. For instance, there seem to be no restrictions around Gordes, outside of the village itself. But some red hexagons here and there. Maybe those are monuments or something.

 

[DroneAngel]

Hi,

I live in Antibes since many years back. It's a very beautiful place that looks great from a drone, but unfortunately it is very hard to fly legally near the coastline. The French rules basically say that you cannot fly over buildings, people or public spaces, and the entire coast is densely populated. You understood the geoportail map correctly, but do know that it is only there as an assistance.

There are some places where it can be done, as you saw in my video from Antibes. I was flying in a very narrow band of allowed airspace, but the drone was warning about proximity to restricted areas constantly. The same is true for Cap d'Antibes, while geoportail does say you can fly there up to 50 meters, I would recommend that you go very early in the morning if you do, as there will be lots of people around during the day. Also, don't try to fly in over land, those huge mansions that are located there are mostly owned by Russian oligarchs, they value their privacy...

If you want to fly close to the coast, you are much better off doing it on the way here from Spain, where it's much less populated.

Personally I prefer to fly more up in the mountains where there is less people around. Since you are driving here, I would really recommend going up a bit in the Alps. Within an hour or so from Nice, you have huge areas where you can fly without any restrictions, and capture beautiful scenery. Another pearl that you should not miss which is on the way here, is Gorges du Verdon, there are some restrictions there, but mostly you can fly without problems.

Here are a couple of videos I took around here.

Enjoy your visit in France, it will be a great experience for sure!
[/QUOTE

 

[DroneAngel]

I was just about to post exactly the same question for exactly the same place. Thank you for this very helpful post and the replies.

 

[RogerMav]

Hi Everyone,

Glad to be back. I need and update in drone flying regulations in France. Once again I always try not get in trouble so that is why I ask for help for anyone that could have updated information.My trip to the French Riviera in 2019 got cut off due to a family emergency so I never had a chance to do any flying on that time.

I registered my drone in March 2019 and did the online formation. Both certificates I have from DGCA done in the AlphaTango application indicated that are valid until March 2024. I have my Mavic 2 Pro registered and with the label attached to the drone as requested.

This time I traveling to the other coast. I will be in the area around Biarritz and I noticed an open area to fly in Saint Jean de Luz.

Can anyone tell me if my certificates are still valid? or regulation has changed and I have to update something?

Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[DroneAngel]

Hi,

Looking for help to be sure I don´t get in problems or a fine when flying in France.

I´m planing to go from Spain to French Riviera by end of May. Would like to ask for help from some one living in France to be sure I have understanded all about flying in France correctly. I have done the training and test in Fox AlphaTango, registered the Drone and plan to use the geoportail.gouv.fr map for authorized areas to fly. So any area that has no color I can fly up to 150 meters heigh? yellow is 100 mt orange 50 mt and pink 30 mt and red not flying at all? So if this is true I apparently see quite a few nice places to fly in that area.

Anyway looking for suggestions on some drone filming and pictures areas in cote d'azurr?

I was thinking near Cap Camarat or Etang de Leucate area. Also when crossing border from Spain to France in Le Perthus, to take some images of the Fort Bellegarde. Or any better suggestions? I noticed some clear areas near St Tropez and other towns. But preferable looking for not very crowded areas so to avoid complains from people about privacy or which don´t like drones.

I can fly also in Cap d'antibes with maximum altitude of 50 meters?

Thanks for any help or recommendations.

If needed I can attach some screen captures of the MAP areas that I have looked at in Geoportail.

Hi RogerMav,

I live in Cannes and have done the same as you (I am also told that my A2 C of C is valid here). I don't think much has changed, although you will definitely need liability insurance. Also, take a look at Mach 7 - it has very useful maps. Cap D'Antibes is amazing isn't it - although I haven't flown there yet as I thought the mansion owners might get very nervous! In Cannes, there are precious few places to fly, but I have flown in the yellow areas by my home and was attacked on seagulls on both occasions! I see tourists breaking the rules all the time, which annoys me greatly, as it affects us who, like you, have done all the hard work to be competent and aware and legal. Good flying and look forward to seeing any footage you manage to get. Best wishes.

 

[wco81]

I was in Nice and near Villefranche sur Mer in late June and early July.

I did not attempt to fly. I contacted the St. Jean Cap Ferrat tourism office and they checked with the police and said no flying anywhere on the peninsula.

I did the walk around the peninsula with my camera and just took a lot of pictures instead. But the southern tip, there is nothing there unless you fly over land. If you fly over the water as GeoPortail shows some 50 meter zones, I guess the villa owners would complain that you're photographing their properties and them from a distance.

Never mind that most drones don't have long telephoto lenses to zoom in on people from a distance.

There could be celebrities there, who think paparazzi are spying on them but the drone would have to hover right above them.

 

[wco81]

Well currently finishing up a trip to Corsica and the Côte d'Azur.

I had forgotten about this thread, in particular how difficult it is to fly along the coast.

So on this trip, I was able to fly near Piana, overlooking the Gulf of Porto with the distinctive red calanches or limestone cliffs made red by iron.

I also flew just outside the city of Bonifacio, launching and landing from hiking paths to the east of the city.

In Geoportail, all the inhabited areas, even small villages like Piana and Bonifacio are red, NFZ.

But all the wild terrain around it have no color markings, so it's either clear or red over inhabited areas.

So I drove maybe 5-10 kilometers NW of Piana where you have all kinds of views of the Gulf of Porto and beautiful green landscapes over them.

I know there's a natural reserve in Scandola, which is across the Gulf. I did not venture out over the water. Still a good distance to get out there. I took a boat trip and the guide said there are certain birds which nest on top of some of the cliffs and they dive there to catch fish. It was suppose to be their mating season from April to July so I was wary about disturbing them. Also maybe there were rules about flying in the area if it was also a nature reserve.

But I got two days of flights in, the second day mostly because it was sunnier whereas the first day was overcast.

Then in Bonifacio, I saw signs for the nature trail called Campu Rumanilu. Also the general wilderness areas was called les Bouches de Bonifacio. I contacted their department of environment, never got a reply so I went out there on a sunny morning and flew towards the city of Bonifacio, which if you look up, have buildings hutting the top of cliffs over the water.

It's a spectacular place, with views from and views of the town, which was an old fortress and the previous capital of the island.

I didn't fly over the city since it was red. Instead I flew over the water mostly and stayed to the east or to the south (water) and capture a lot of images and video.

Now in Menton, I relied on GeoPortail showing red for the entire city but the Mediterranean to the east, south and west are clear. There is also a tiny bit of land to the south of the town where there is a park and it's clear in Geoportail.

I did one flight on my M2P and was mostly finishing up my second flight when cops on bicycles asked me if I was flying a drone -- I had the controller in my hands.

They said I needed authorization from the prefecture as well as the city of Menton. Plus they said there was an aerodrome nearby, even though it's not indicated in Geoportail. I did tell them I tried to find information and Geoportail showed the water was clear.

I checked the Alpes-Martimes Department website and they don't list anything specific to the region. Instead they link to a DGAC or national document, which is general stuff, like don't fly over people, don't fly at night, etc. which are the rules for recreational flights.

The police couldn't tell me whom to contact to get this authorization. But I didn't know so I landed the drone and they were satisfied.

But maybe something for others who may want to fly in this area to keep in mind. I'd forgotten that the St. Jean Cap Ferrat police told me no drones allowed anywhere on that peninsula, even though Geoportail showed some areas in the clear.

 

[Red_Pyro]

Well currently finishing up a trip to Corsica and the Côte d'Azur.

I had forgotten about this thread, in particular how difficult it is to fly along the coast.

So on this trip, I was able to fly near Piana, overlooking the Gulf of Porto with the distinctive red calanches or limestone cliffs made red by iron.

I also flew just outside the city of Bonifacio, launching and landing from hiking paths to the east of the city.

In Geoportail, all the inhabited areas, even small villages like Piana and Bonifacio are red, NFZ.

But all the wild terrain around it have no color markings, so it's either clear or red over inhabited areas.

So I drove maybe 5-10 kilometers NW of Piana where you have all kinds of views of the Gulf of Porto and beautiful green landscapes over them.

I know there's a natural reserve in Scandola, which is across the Gulf. I did not venture out over the water. Still a good distance to get out there. I took a boat trip and the guide said there are certain birds which nest on top of some of the cliffs and they dive there to catch fish. It was suppose to be their mating season from April to July so I was wary about disturbing them. Also maybe there were rules about flying in the area if it was also a nature reserve.

But I got two days of flights in, the second day mostly because it was sunnier whereas the first day was overcast.

Then in Bonifacio, I saw signs for the nature trail called Campu Rumanilu. Also the general wilderness areas was called les Bouches de Bonifacio. I contacted their department of environment, never got a reply so I went out there on a sunny morning and flew towards the city of Bonifacio, which if you look up, have buildings hutting the top of cliffs over the water.

It's a spectacular place, with views from and views of the town, which was an old fortress and the previous capital of the island.

I didn't fly over the city since it was red. Instead I flew over the water mostly and stayed to the east or to the south (water) and capture a lot of images and video.

Now in Menton, I relied on GeoPortail showing red for the entire city but the Mediterranean to the east, south and west are clear. There is also a tiny bit of land to the south of the town where there is a park and it's clear in Geoportail.

I did one flight on my M2P and was mostly finishing up my second flight when cops on bicycles asked me if I was flying a drone -- I had the controller in my hands.

They said I needed authorization from the prefecture as well as the city of Menton. Plus they said there was an aerodrome nearby, even though it's not indicated in Geoportail. I did tell them I tried to find information and Geoportail showed the water was clear.

I checked the Alpes-Martimes Department website and they don't list anything specific to the region. Instead they link to a DGAC or national document, which is general stuff, like don't fly over people, don't fly at night, etc. which are the rules for recreational flights.

The police couldn't tell me whom to contact to get this authorization. But I didn't know so I landed the drone and they were satisfied.

But maybe something for others who may want to fly in this area to keep in mind. I'd forgotten that the St. Jean Cap Ferrat police told me no drones allowed anywhere on that peninsula, even though Geoportail showed some areas in the clear.

"The police couldn't tell me whom to contact to get this authorization." typical, made-up rules by self-declared cowboys. Sounds just like the "no drone allowed" signs