Saint-Malo

Validation date: 15 04 2014
Updated on: Never
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48°36'46"N 001°58'31"W
 
Runway: 11/29 - 600 x 85m - grass
Runway: 18/36 - 540x100m - grass
 
Saint-Malo airfield (french: Aèrodrome de Saint-Malo, also known as Saint-Servan or Blanche-Roche, ICAO: LFEQ) was an airfield 320 kilometerwest of Paris. 
The project to create a public airfield in the St-Malo region began in 1938. The official opening of the airfield occurred in September 1939. 
Early during World War II, the Germans returned the airfield to their former owners for agricultural purposes. 
 
After a request by the "Côte-d’Émeraude" aeroclub, the Chamber of Commerce requested the french Air Ministry the right to reopen the airfield in January 1948. However, it took until July 1950 before the airport regained its aeronautic activity. 
Initially, the airfield started with three grass runways: 04/22, 
11/29, 18/36. The 400m 04/22 was closed around 1960, however.


Saint-Malo-Saint-Servan showing the runway markers for 3 runways in 1952. (IGN, via géoportail.fr)


The runway markers for the 04/22 runway still existed in June 1961. The 11/29 runway was being lengthened and moved a few meters north when this photo was taken (IGN, via Geoportail).


In this September 1963 photo the markers for the 04/22 runway have disappeared and the new runway markers are clearly visible (IGN, via Géoportail).

1973
Clever grass cutting brought out the runways in this 1973 photo (IGN, via Géoportail)


Approach chart of the airfield edited in July 1983 (Source SIA).

1990
Photo of the airfield taken in 1990, shortly before it was forced to close. 5 sports aircraft can be seen parked on the platform north of the runway (IGN, via Géoportail).

The airfield survived until 1991. It was then finally closed in favor of the airport Saint-Malo Pleurtuit. Within only 10 years, the airfield had completely disappeared, and the grounds were returned to agriculture. 

2002
In October 2002, the airfield had completely disappeared (IGN, via Géoportail)


In this 2006 photo, there is no trace of the former airfield to be found (Google Earth).

(researched by Olivier)