Planespotting Paris Le Bourget — LFPB
Le Bourget was Paris's first airport — Lindbergh landed here in 1927 — and since airlines left for Orly and Charles de Gaulle it has become the busiest business aviation airport in Europe. Everything from Citation Mustangs to Global 7500s, BBJs and the occasional private 777 uses it, along with foreign government Falcons, Gulfstreams and transports visiting the capital. It is also home of the Paris Air Show every odd year in June and of the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace. There are three runways, and their use is dictated by CDG next door: in westerly winds most traffic lands and departs on 27, in easterly winds aircraft land on 07 and depart from 25 or 09, and 03/21 is barely used outside the Air Show. Before you go, know the rule: photographing at Le Bourget, CDG and Orly requires a police photo permit, and VIP operators dislike cameras.
- COSQ11 AS55 1 050 ft
- DAH1012 B738 12 450 ft
- LOT2151 B38M 10 525 ft
- AFR267 A359 7 500 ft
- UAE7V A388 4 700 ft
- HOP24EU E190 2 525 ft RWY 09
- TLJ166F E145 275 ft RWY 07
Conditions right now
Runways
- 07/25 RWY 07 2,987 × 45 m · 9,800 × 148 ft asphalt
- 03/21 2,666 × 60 m · 8,747 × 197 ft asphalt
- 09/27 1,840 × 45 m · 6,037 × 148 ft asphalt
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 09:00
Typical traffic mix
- Bizjet78%
- GA8%
- Narrowbody6%
- Turboprop4%
- Military3%
- Widebody1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Mound along the D317 (Rue de la Ferme Saint-Simon)
A bushy embankment on the eastern side of the D317, opposite the end of runway 27. It gives the most reliable runway action at Le Bourget: 27 arrivals in the usual westerly flow, line-ups and the taxiway toward runway 25.
- Getting there
- Leave the D317 at the roundabout where it meets Avenue de l'Europe, turn into Rue de la Ferme Saint-Simon and park where allowed; walk to the mound and climb it wherever the bushes let you.
- Best time
- Westerly flow (27 arrivals), late morning to afternoon. Lorries and haze can spoil line-up shots.
- Lens
- 50–250 mm; a 737-700 is about 105 mm.
D317 roadside near the Ibis Gonesse
A low bank beside the D317 on the north-eastern side, between the runways, looking at line-ups and arrivals on 25 and heavy departures off 07. You can move along it to adjust the angle.
- Getting there
- Drive to the Ibis Gonesse via the D370 roundabout, take Avenue du XXIe Siècle, then the small street west to its barrier at the end; park there and walk to the D317 bank. Bus 152 to the Z.A. Tulipes stop is a few hundred metres away. Construction sites nearby — do not block their gates.
- Best time
- Runway shots late morning to afternoon; line-ups from sunrise to around midday.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm covers it; an A340 departure is about 145 mm.
Football pitch on Chemin de Bonneuil (D84a)
A mound beside the D84a on the western side, under the approaches to runways 07 and 09. It is the place for landings during easterly winds, which is when the big jets come in on 07 over your head.
- Getting there
- Park by the football pitch on Chemin de Bonneuil and walk to the mound along the D84a.
- Best time
- Easterly flow (07 and 09 arrivals), early morning or late summer evening.
- Lens
- 70–300 mm; an A320 is about 190 mm.
Rue du Pont Yblon (Bonneuil-en-France)
A fence corner about 800 m east of Bonneuil village where runway 07/25 traffic passes right overhead, and rare 03 departures and 21 arrivals too. Walking around the corner lets you switch sides with the sun.
- Getting there
- Drive to Bonneuil-en-France and park along Rue du Pont Yblon, then continue on foot east out of the village to the fence. Bring everything with you.
- Best time
- 07/25 movements only on late summer evenings; 03/21 at any time of day if you move around.
- Lens
- 70–300 mm; a 737 departure from behind is about 280 mm.
Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace outdoor apron
The paid museum's outside exhibition area runs along the fence of the active apron, giving relaxed views of business jets and the occasional VIP airliner taxiing past an A380, 747 and Concordes. It is the only place at Le Bourget where you do not need to keep your camera hidden.
- Getting there
- RER B to Le Bourget station, then bus 152 to the museum, or bus 350 from CDG. Museum admission required; opening hours and prices change, so check its website before you go. Ladders are not allowed.
- Best time
- All day; the business aviation apron to the north is best from morning to mid-afternoon.
- Lens
- 18–200 mm; a 747SP taxiing is about 55 mm.
AC Hotel by Marriott rooftop bar
The ninth-floor bar terrace looks over the eastern aprons and taxiways with runway 03/21 behind. You face the sun for most of its opening hours, but it is a comfortable place for logging and for night shots.
- Getting there
- Hotel car park on site. The terrace opens around 16:00 and closes after midnight, and may be closed in bad weather; open to non-guests if you order something. Check opening times before you go.
- Best time
- Evening and night; daytime photos are backlit.
- Lens
- 70–300 mm.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Business aviation is everything here: Citations, Phenoms and PC-12s, Falcon 7X/8X and 900s from Dassault's home market, Gulfstream G650s, Global 6000/7500s and regular A319/A320 ACJs and BBJs. Peaks follow Paris events — fashion weeks, Roland-Garros, major summits and trade fairs — and the Paris Air Show every odd year in June, when manufacturers fly in prototypes and display aircraft and the apron fills with exhibits. Foreign government jets and military transports (Falcons, A330s, C-130s) are routine visitors, French state aircraft appear, and helicopters shuttle constantly. There is no scheduled airline traffic.
What actually flew over Paris Le Bourget in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- A320 23.7 %
- BCS3 21.1 %
- B738 17.1 %
- A20N 11.5 %
- E190 9.4 %
- B77W 6.1 %
- A21N 5.6 %
- B38M 5.4 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Paris Le Bourget?
The Spotterra live map shows every ADS-B aircraft around Le Bourget and CDG with type, registration and route, so you can tell a Falcon from a G650 before it lands. Free in any browser.
Do I need a permit to photograph at Le Bourget?
Yes. The police require a photo permit for Le Bourget, Charles de Gaulle and Orly. Apply by e-mail well in advance with your ID and dates, ideally in French, and carry the reply — or your request if no reply comes. Any airport-badge holder may ask to see it.
Which runway does LFPB use?
Mostly 27 in westerly winds; in easterly winds landings switch to 07 with departures from 25 or 09. Runway use is coordinated with CDG's traffic, and 03/21 is mainly used for Air Show displays.
Can I see the bizjets on the aprons?
Only partly. Tall privacy walls now line much of the eastern apron, so views between the hangars on Avenue de l'Europe are limited. The museum's outdoor area is the easiest legal vantage point for parked aircraft.
Spotterra watches the sky over Paris Le Bourget
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
Start spotting freeMore in France & Switzerland: Paris Charles de Gaulle · Paris Orly · Toulouse · Zurich · Geneva · Basel-Mulhouse · All 204 airports →