NTE-Spot1
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October 24, 2014Nantes Atlantique Aéroport Spotting Guide
- last modified on May 13, 2020
Nantes Atlantique Airport is the biggest airport in North/Western of France with 7,2 Millions passengers in 2019. The regional carrier Regional CAE is based here, although it merged with other Air France subsidiaries (Britair and Airlinair) to create the Hop! company in 2013. Nantes is a base for Air France/HOP!, Volotea, Transavia France and Easyjet. But you can also see some other airline regularly such as Lufthansa, Tap Portugal, Iberia, Tunisair, Royal Air Maroc, Aegean, Aer Lingus. In addition also other lower cost & charter companies like Vueling, Nouvelair, Air Transat, Tassili offer plenty flights a week. This airport have some freighter flights for the airbus factory just next to the airport (AN124 in 2016/17/18, Beluga until 2018 and Beluga XL from 2021). A 757 DHL and a BAe ATP came all days except the we for a day stop.
The week-end provides some additionals flights , specially to and from the Mediterranean area: Royal Air Maroc, Tunisair, Nouvelair, Aegean, SunExpress, Transavia France, Aegean and sometimes good surprises with charters. Heavies are rare, the only ones are Air Transat A310/A330 from May to October.
Written by Gaël Roux (regular visitor). Updated completely by Maël Robin: May 2020
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety |  |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather | |
| Visitor Rating How was your trip? Rate this airport! |
[ratings] |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 03/21 | 2.900m (9.514 ft) |
| Terminals | |
| Hall 3 | all other carriers |
| Hall 4 | Volotea, Air France, Air Corsica |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Necessary at some locations. See description below. |
| Car/Public Transport | Car is preferable as some spots are in the middle of nowhere. Spot 1 and 3 are within walking distance from the terminal. |
| Restrooms | Not at the spots directly. |
| Drinks/Food | Only inside the terminal. |
| Hotels | B&B Nantes Aeroport, Hotel Oceania |
| Season | The best seasons are spring and winter, when people are seeking for the sun, summer is more calm, with a majority of regular flights. |
| Runway Usage | |
| 03/21 | No preferable direction and depends on the wind only. |
Banking spot - 03 west Departures bankings
| WHERE | This spot is no exact position, rather the area around here. As you never know, how high an aircraft is and when exactly it banks, the best position can vary. For the example picture below, we stood around “Chemin du Chauffault” and “Le Chauffat” on the little parking as you have quite a free view there. |
| WHAT | 03 departures to the east, which bank here. Heavy aircraft are better. |
| TIME | Sunrise till early afternoon. |
| MISC. | Keep a low profile and don’t park your car at restricted spots. Haze can be a problem in summer. Otherwise nothing really nearby except some small snack shops. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300-500mm |
Railway Bridge - RWY21 Arrivals & Line Up
| WHERE | Located on a road passing over a railway, just at the threshold of RWY21. To get there, when you are on the road leading from the Peripheral Road to the terminal, take the road on your right, facing Airbus Factory. You get there after 300-400m. Park your car on the left, and walk on to the bridge. No ladder needed. |
| WHAT | When RWY21 is on use, planes pass over you seconds before touching ground and lining up in front of you when leaving. |
| TIME | Early in the morning for departing planes and until mid- afternoon for incoming planes. |
| MISC. | Watch out for the passing cars, some are driving very fast and very near. Better stand behind the security barrier. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24-70 for incoming planes, longer focal if you like 3/4 front shots. 200-300 for departing planes. |
P0 long term parking west - 21 Arrivals + Departures
| WHERE | This spot can be found inside “P0 long term parking west”, where you can park your car easily. Then search your faovurite positon along the fence. |
| WHAT | 21 Arrivals and departures/line-ups. |
| TIME | Sunrise till noon. |
| MISC. | Watch out for the passing cars, some are driving very fast and very near. There is a pad you can use to clear the fence, but it is not too big, so rather bring a ladder with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18-300mm Runway = >120mm |
Parking garage - Southern apron + plenty taxiways + some runway movements
| WHERE | Spot is located on the top floor of the parking garage next to the terminal. Accessable by foot easily and also by car as we remember it to be a normal passenger car park. Search your favourite positon along the southern fornt on the top floor. |
| WHAT | You can see the southern apron, plenty taxiways and some runway movements, too – such as 03 bankings. |
| TIME | Sunrise till noon, but also great in the night. |
| MISC. | Watch out for the passing cars, some are driving very fast and very near. Everything you need is inside the terminal. Carpark open 24/7. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 10-400mm totally depending on what you wanna shoot |
White fence - Apron
| WHERE | A road is passing along the apron, on the right of the terminal. Drive like if you want to pass in front of the terminal, then take the road on the left (don’t take care of the road sign, everybody do the same). Parking is now prohibited on the left of the road, so go along and park a bit further, or use the “Park #1 sud (South)”, that’s the one on your left, just opposite the railway. |
| WHAT | Planes arriving, parking and leaving on the apron. Also really nice place for night shots with a tripod. |
| TIME | Morning until beginning of afternoon. In summer, early in the morning, otherwise lot of haze due to heat on the apron surface. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24mm or less for nearest planes (stands 7-8 on the apron), 70-300mm for others |
Fremiou - All runway movements
| WHERE | From Spot #3, go ahead , and at the end of the road, take on your left. Pass the roundabout, leaving the freight area on your right, and go ahead for about 1km. At the next roundabout , take on the right towards Meteo France and the preserved Lookheed Constellation. At the end of the road park your car in front of the Constellation (not on the google picture in 2008) , or on the left of the road. Do not park in front of the crash gate, or the entry to Meteo France. Then take the gravel lane on the left by foot for 200m, along the fence until the lane turn on the left, leaving the fence. That’s spot #4. You are on the side of the parallel taxyway, near the Bravo exit. If you follow the narrow path between the fence an the bush you get near to a more degaged area, facing Bravo Exit. |
| WHAT | Nice place either for RWY21 ou RWY03. When RWY21 in use, arriving planes are slowing down , and leave runway on Bravo exit, just in front of you. Planes leaving are rotating quite away on your right (Rotation shots possible in winter with long focal, and pure cold air, without haze) |
| TIME | Morning until beginning of afternoon. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24-70mm (or less for big planes) on the taxiway and 100-400mm for planes on the runway. |
Fremiou - All runway movements
| WHERE | Use the same direction to spot #4 but follow the coutnry lane until you find the fence back, you are on the side of the taxiway. Ladder is needed here. |
| WHAT | When RWY03 in use, prefer #5, cause you don’t see beginning of RWY from #4 (except if you follow the narrow path between the bush and the fence). Arriving planes are touching down on your left, and starting to reverse in front of you Departing planes are taxying just a few meters in front of you on their way to Alpha holding point. |
| TIME | Morning until beginning of afternoon. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24-70mm (or less for big planes) on the taxiway and 100-400mm for planes on the runway. |
Fenceside - 03 Arrivals and Line-Ups
| WHERE | This spot can be found directly by the fence south of the runway. Park your car discretly next to a house on a little farmer path (marked on the map) and walk along the fields north. Walk as marked on the map till the fence wihtout destroying them and search your favourite position along the fence. |
| WHAT | Planes arriving on 03 and those lining up for 03 departure. |
| TIME | Early noon till afternoon – depending on what you wanna shoot exactly. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. Ladder needed. Be discret here and take care not to block anything when parking and not to destroy any plants when crossing the fields! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-300mm |
Arrivalpath - 03 Arrivals
| WHERE | A road is crossing the final 03 ramp, on the south of the airport. From the roundabout where you turn right to go to spot #4, go ahead instead of turning. Then, at the entry of the little village, take the road on the right. Go ahead, until you reach a Stop sign , and then the second road on the right (follow the “Cavagri” sign). Pass the house on the right, and then you are on the RWY03 final ramp. It’s better not to park here (prohibited) even if some people do. |
| WHAT | Planes on very short final 03, and touching 03. You may also get nice front departure shots featuring heavy 21 departures. |
| TIME | Anytime, except in the middle of the day (sun exatly facing you). Depend also on what kind of shot you wanna take. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24-70 mm or less for big planes. Depends on the type of photo you want . |
Les Vignes (The Vineyards) - 03 Arrivals & Line Up
| WHERE | From spot #6, go ahead on the road. Take the first road on the right and go ahead. You will join the fence on the west side of the airport. You can park on the left side of the road, and then put your ladder near the fence. |
| WHAT | Planes on very short final 03, and touching 03. Planes lining up on 03 , holding point Alpha |
| TIME | From the end of the afternoon, to the sundown. Beautiful light on sunny days, juste before the sun disappear. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200-400 mm |
La butte aux lapins (The rabbits butte) - All runway movements
| WHERE | From spot #7, go ahead on the road, passing the few houses on the left. After 300-400m, you will cross an old dirtpath. Park you car, and follow it to the right until you reach the airport fence. Then go left under the tree , up on the little mound. You are facing the Bravo exit, but opposite of spot #4 and 5. |
| WHAT | Nice place in the late afternoon in both procedure (RWY03 or RWY21) . You get planes touching down when RWY03 is in use. When RWY21 is in use Arriving planes slowing down and exiting RWY on Bravo exit. Departing planes rotating and climbing with full power. |
| TIME | From the end of the afternoon, to the sundown. Beautiful light on sunny days, juste before the sun disappear. |
| MISC. | On the good days (summer) , the place is sometime used by couples (legitimate or not) for “outdoor activities” (some spotters getting there have surprised people in embarrassing positions) |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200-400 mm |
Le Tertre - RWY21 Arrials & Departures
| WHERE | Leave spot #1 and go ahead on the road. Leave the “Gipsy camp” on your left, and take the first road on the left. Go ahead on nearly 500m, pass over the railway and you get there: Park your car in front of the big rocks on the left, and go ahead for less than 100m by foot. You are now facing the RWY21 threshold. No ladder needed (can be useful though for planes lining up to “get” the wheels out of the grass |
| WHAT | Really nice place in the afternoon when RWY21 is in use for arrivals and departures. |
| TIME | From mid- afternoon to sundown. |
| MISC. | There is nothing nearby, so take what you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-200 (less when heavies like A330) |
Piano'cktail - 03 departures
| WHERE | This spot can be found in a parking lot of the event hosting hall “Piano’cktail”. Just drive there and park at the eastern side form where you can spot nicely. |
| WHAT | Heavy departures from runway 03 and ideal if heading to the west, then they bank here. |
| TIME | From the end of the afternoon, to the sundown. Beautiful light on sunny days, juste before the sun disappear. |
| MISC. | Some stuff can be grabbed/shopped/visited inside the event hall. Keep a low profile and don’t park your car at restricted spots. Haze can be a problem in summer. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300-500 mm |
Bonjour, non absolument rien de spécial à demander. Juste un escabeau pour la plupart des points de spot 😉
Merci et qui sait, au plaisir de vous voir.
Bonjour,
Pourriez-vous me dire s’il faut une autorisation speciale pour photographier dans et autour de l’aeroport et, dans l’affirmative, comment s’y prendre pour l’obtenir dans un delai relativement court. Je prevois de passer a NTE du 19 au 20 avril.
Merci beaucoup.
Cordialement,
Yves