Forgotten airfields europe

Validation date: 08 09 2014
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47°23'47"N 001°14'49"E

flying field - 3000m - grass

Pontlevoy airfield (french: Aérodrome de Pont-Levoy) 180 kilometers southwest of Paris.

The airfield, as well as a pilot school, had been established in Pontlevoy, an unusual situation for a small village as early as 1910. It originated from the meeting of two men, Fernand Morlat, a mechanic and keen pilot, and Charles Tauvin, a Pontlevoy landowner who provided the land and financed the undertaking.

Photo of "Aérodrome de Pont-Levoy, near Blois. Flying school with a special runway of 3 kilometers and hangars (reduced prices)."
Note the phone number: N° 1. (collection Hubert Armand)

For the inauguration of the airfield on 14 and 15 August 1910, a grand "aviation festival" was organised. The streets were sumptuously decorated and the village was enthusiastic. The prefect and several officials attended the festival. A large crown welcomed the visitors and everyone walked through the festive streets to the airfield, located on the road to Chaumont, not far from the village.

Many people came to the festival on 14 and 15 August 1910 (collection of Hubert Armand)

The photo shows the installations available at the airfield from the beginning. In front of the hangar, three of four planes belonging to the pilot school are parked, from left to right respectively: a Voisin, a Bleriot and a Guppy. (collection Hubert Armand)

1910, a Bleriot from the flying school. In front of the plane, instructor Fernand Morlat. (collection Hubert Armand)

In 1910 and 1911, the airfield was the center of considerable activity. Pilots from all over France trained there and two competitors in the renowed Paris to Madrid race made a stop over 1911.

A plane stops during the race Paris to Madrid in 1911 (collection Hubert Armand)

Following a disagreement between the funders, the civilian activities at the airfield ceased in 1912. This did not mean the end of the airfield though. After the civilians left, it was occupied by military aviation and new hangars were constructed.

Pilot Mr Ferstein and his passager, Mr Duvivier are refueling their dual seat Bleriot in 1912 (collection Hubert Armand)

During World War I, the airfield was only used for brief stops. All activities ceased in 1918, when the airfield was not adapted for the new generations of airplanes. The existance of airfield Pont-Levoy officially ended 17 April 1920, as noted in the following letter addressed to Senator of the Loir-et-Cher county, M. Pichery:

French Republic

Paris, September 28, 1920
Ministry of Public Works
Undersecretariat of Aeronautics and Air Transport
Office of the Assistant Secretary of State
s.p.p 211
Senator,

You kindly, as of September 25, specifically call my attention to a request from the town of Pont-Levoy (Loir-et-Cher) seeking the cancellation of the contract that binds her to the state.
I have the honor to inform you that at the beginning of June, I was pointed to this issue by Director General of Military Aeronautics, so it can be solved in the best interests of the Town of Pont-Levoy and those of Mr. Tauvin requesting the use of hangars installed on its property .
As of June 11, Mr. Dumesnil General, on behalf of the Minister of War, informed me -and I have the honor to inform you- that by ministerial statement 2E 3413/12 of 17 April 1920, the 12th Division was given orders to General Commander 5° C for termination of the contract in the best interests of the state of the lease of the land of Pont-Levoy.
The procedure for such termination may only be taken by the local Service Engineer, agreed with the mayor of the town of Pont-Levoy and Mr. Tauvin.
However, as these sheds are not part of the Air Force, the 12th Branch does not preclude, as it is concerned, their occupation for the purposes of exploiting Mr. Tauvin.
Please accept, Mr. Senator, the assurances of my highest consideration.

By stating the hangars were not owned by the Air Force, the state did not have to terminate any contract and therefore the property was no longer an airfield. The lands then defaulted to the original owner.

In 2010, the town of Pontlevoy published an old poster to commemorate the centennial of aviation in Pontlevoy (collection Hubert Armand)

By 2012, nothing remained of the former aifield. The gray circle approximately points to the place of the former airfield (Google Earth)

Merci beaucoup à Hubert Armand, passionné de l'histoire de Pontlevoy, pour sa permission de copie des documents de sa collection privée.
Thank you very much to Hubert Armand, history passionate from Pontlevoy for permission to copy the documents from his private collection.

(Researched by Olivier)