Lantheuil Airfield

The closure was not due to a single event but a combination of factors, primarily related to local disputes and regulatory pressure. The main reasons include: persistent noise complaints from residents of the surrounding communities, ongoing disagreements between the operating aero club (Aéro-club de la Côte de Nacre) and the local municipality, and increasing regulatory and safety concerns associated with operating in a more populated area.

The site has been fully returned to agricultural use. Satellite imagery shows the land is now comprised of cultivated fields. While the faint outline of the former runway may be discernible to a trained eye from the air, there are no remaining aviation facilities, hangars, or markings on the ground. It is effectively private farmland.

Lantheuil Airfield has a significant two-part history.

1. **World War II Era:** Its most notable role was as a temporary Allied airfield during the Battle of Normandy. Designated as Advanced Landing Ground B-9 (ALG B-9), it was constructed by the British Royal Engineers starting around June 10, 1944, just days after the D-Day landings. It became operational shortly thereafter and was primarily used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Second Tactical Air Force. Wings operating from B-9 flew fighter-bomber aircraft like the Hawker Typhoon and fighter aircraft like the Supermarine Spitfire. Its purpose was to provide crucial close air support to Allied ground forces pushing inland from the Normandy beachheads. Like other ALGs, it was a temporary, rudimentary strip that was vital for the campaign's success. It was abandoned and returned to agricultural use after the front lines moved east in late August/September 1944.

2. **Post-War General Aviation:** After the war, a portion of the site was reactivated as a civilian airfield for general aviation and ultralight aircraft (ULM). It was home to the 'Aéro-club de la Côte de Nacre' and served local recreational pilots for many decades before its eventual closure in the late 2010s.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Lantheuil Airfield. Given that the closure was driven by local opposition and regulatory issues, any attempt to reopen it would face significant legal and community hurdles. The land has been reintegrated into the local agricultural landscape, making a future as an airfield highly unlikely.