Castelsarrasin, the Tour finally starts again!
Tuesday 25 July, midday
The strong winds in the night and the low cloud base in the morning were not very encouraging. However, we had to get out of this persistent weather « glue pot », at the risk of totally compromising the rest of the Tour, while of course respecting the safety imperative that is our absolute priority.
The situation was quite delicate because the low cloud base has to clear as the air warms up, but that warming increases the strength of the wind. We eventually found a window at about 1pm, with a steady wind averaging 35 km/h along our track and a series of small showers clinging to the high ground. After this first episode, the route took us to an Albi-Montauban axis with excellent visibility. The weight-shift machines and some of the slower aircraft left first. We all landed at Castelsarrasin, on an unplanned intermediate stop further north than Saint-Girons.
It is often in the arbitrariness of improvisation that the best encounters happen, and we were all amazed at the magnificent replica of the Breguet 14, the aircraft of the Aéropostale and the Little Prince. The association's Breguet 14 flew a welcome circuit for the Tour. Superb, moving! Thanks for the welcome to the president of the aeroclub, as well as to the gliding club. It is often around its history that aviation finds its finest moments of sharing.
We will leave again for Aire-sur-l'Adour late in the afternoon for a short 130 km stage. We may be able to consider Spain tomorrow.
Sébastien Perrot
See you soon!
The DGAC's TB20 gives a local weather update with the Flight Director, Louis Collardeau
The weight-shift machines leave first
There is a 35 km/h wind
We have to fly between the showers
Formation flight near Saint-Cernin sur la Rance
Albi Cathedral
The village of Puycelsi between Albi and Montauban
The Flight Star, which goes at its own pace
The Castelsarrasin runway
The magnificent reconstruction of the Breguet 14 by the Breguet 14 association
The rest room
Young spectators watch the Tour's convoy
The aviation family gathered around its history!
A circuit flown just for us
The aircraft of the Aéropostale and the Little Prince
