Flying drones in Nouvelle-Aquitaine: zones, paperwork and contacts

Who it is for

• Professional remote pilots and UAS operators, French or foreign, flying in the Gironde, Landes, Basque Country, Charente, Poitou or Limousin
• Companies, production teams, agencies and public bodies commissioning a drone job in south-west France who need a realistic schedule
• Operators based elsewhere planning a multi-site tour of the region (vineyards, forest, coastline, industrial sites)

What this guide does not do: It does not replace checking Géoportail, the French AIS and NOTAMs on the day, nor the official texts · It does not explain the basics of EU drone rules (categories, training): that is the job of the general guide · It grants no authorisation and guarantees no airspace manager's agreement

Contents of the complete guide

1. What changes when you fly in Nouvelle-Aquitaine (free extract below)
2. Airports, aerodromes and control zones: where coordination is required
3. Prohibited areas, military sites and permanent sensitive sites
4. Parks, reserves, coastline and mountains
5. The main cities, one by one
6. Notifying a populated-area flight in the 12 départements
7. Recurring events and temporary restrictions
8. Decision table: place, constraint, procedure, lead time
9. Regional pre-flight checklist
10. Official sources and updates

Included: 15 checklist items and 4 decision or reference tables.

Introduction

This regional edition gathers everything specific to Nouvelle-Aquitaine when you plan, fly or commission a drone flight: airports and their control zones, permanent prohibited areas, the military and test ranges that shape south-west France, protected parks and reserves on the coast and in the mountains, how a flight is notified in each of the twelve départements, and the events that regularly close the sky. It is written first for professionals and their clients, including foreign crews filming or surveying in France.

Read it in order once, then use the decision table (chapter 8) and the checklist (chapter 9) as planning tools. Cities are covered one by one in chapter 5.

Content up to date as of 30 September 2026. C-DRONE is neither the French civil aviation authority (DGAC), nor a préfecture, nor any official body: this guide is a planning aid. Only the official texts (EU regulations, orders published on Légifrance, the AIP and AIP supplements of the French aeronautical information service, SIA) and the Géoportail restriction map are authoritative. Zone boundaries change: always check the situation on the day before flying.

What changes when you fly in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

The rules are the same everywhere in France (EU regulation 2019/947 plus French national orders). What changes here is where the constraints sit. These are the eight features that make a job in this region different.

1. The largest region of mainland France. Around 84,000 km² and twelve départements: Poitiers, Limoges, Bordeaux and Bayonne are hours apart by road. A prior notification is filed with the préfecture of the département where you fly, so a multi-site tour may mean several notifications to different préfectures.
2. An unusual density of military and test sites. Air Base 106 at Bordeaux-Mérignac, Air Base 118 at Mont-de-Marsan, Air Base 120 at Cazaux, Air Base 709 at Cognac, Air Base 721 at Rochefort, the DGA missile test range at Biscarrosse, army helicopters around Pau and Dax: much of the airspace over the Gironde and the Landes is shaped by defence activity.
3. Three prohibited areas tied to nuclear and defence sites. The Blayais nuclear plant (zone LF-P 1), the CEA research centre at Le Barp (zone LF-P 5, surface to 3,500 ft, permanently active) and the Civaux nuclear plant in the Vienne sit under permanent prohibited areas.
4. A mixed civil-military control zone over the metropolis. Greater Bordeaux lies under the Bordeaux-Mérignac control zone (CTR): most urban flights west of the Garonne require coordination with air traffic services.
5. The longest protected coastline on the French Atlantic. Two marine nature parks (Arcachon Bay; Gironde estuary and Pertuis sea), about ten national nature reserves focused on birds, and listed landscapes such as the Dune du Pilat: on the coast the question is environmental as much as aeronautical.
6. A national park core in the mountains. In the core of the Pyrenees National Park (Aspe and Ossau valleys), motorised overflight below 1,000 m above ground is prohibited, drones included, unless the park director grants an exceptional authorisation.
7. A wildfire season that closes the sky. The Landes de Gascogne is the largest planted forest in western Europe. In summer, firefighting aircraft, temporary restrictions and prefectoral orders limiting access to the forest can cancel a job overnight.
8. Heavily controlled mass events. The Fêtes de Bayonne, the Angoulême International Comics Festival, the Pau Grand Prix and the Francofolies in La Rochelle all bring temporary bans or restrictions each year.

Frequently asked questions

How do I receive the guide?

Right after payment you are redirected to the complete guide's page. Bookmark it, or print it to PDF (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P, “Save as PDF”). Stripe also emails you the receipt.

Do I get an invoice?

Yes: Stripe generates the invoice and emails it. You can enter your company name and VAT number at checkout.

Is the guide kept up to date?

Yes. The guide's page is updated when the rules change; your access stays valid and you always read the latest version.

Does this guide replace the official texts or a training course?

No. C-DRONE is neither the French civil aviation authority (DGAC) nor a training organisation: the guide explains and organises the paperwork, with links to the official sources, which alone are authoritative.

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• Drone Work in Gironde (33): Bordeaux Vineyards, Gascony Forest, Arcachon Bay and Estuary
• Drone services in Nouvelle-Aquitaine: vineyards, forest, coastline, industry and prices

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