Birth of a new airport for Brive

FRANCE’S newest airport has opened at Brive-Vallée de la Dordogne, where the Lot, Corrèze and Dordogne departments meet.

The airport opened on June 15 with flights to Paris. The first of three CityJet flights a week will take off for London City Airport this coming Friday.

Brive plans more low cost flights to the UK in the future but it does not expect to rival nearby Bergerac Airport which has 300,000 passengers a year – Brive will be pleased to receive 100,000.

The new airport was first proposed in 1983 and it will have a considerable impact on local businesses and tourism.

The head of tourism for Sarlat in the Dordogne, Bouahlem Rekkas, said it would encourage the holiday rentals market in the area.

Airport director Dany Blanchet said: "We are already talking to companies and hope to fly to other destinations next year.

"We aim to have three international flights plus the flight to Paris. We also aim to have 100,000 passengers in five years’ time. But it is impossible to say what will happen."

The final cost of the airport – all public money – is €48.7m, just below the €50 million limit which would have put it in danger of losing European funds.

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