Before the beautiful photos and exclusives, there are often great discoveries that are born behind a screen, at the turn of the Google Maps or a Facebook group. The discovery of Hangar H1 belongs fully to this category. Even without having been able to visit the place, this identification remains a beautiful memory, fruit of patience and research.
Maintenance Hangar H1 Air France – Roissy-en-France(Oise Valley)
Loyalty: ★★★☆– Access: ★★★ (see impossible)
The year 2021 marked an important step in my work on French shooting sites of Moonraker, whether they are famous or more confidential, with a few nice finds. For several years already, a plan of the film had been identified Roissy-en-France. The great specialist of Moonraker, Philip Latchfordhad even published a specific date: 20 February 1979.
One call sheet of the same day also mentions a shooting outside a technical hangar at Roissy airport, where Bond arrived on site in the golf cart. Yet, until then, no one had been able to accurately locate the exact location where Holly made Bond discover the Moonmaker assembly chain.
It's thanks to Didier Abauzit that the riddle could be solved. By contacting François M., he obtained a photograph and additional information, allowing to formally identify the hangar used by the production team.
This single plan was therefore turned into a Hangar H1, property ofAir France. Built in the 1970s, the building consists of two cells, each 130 metres long, 80 metres wide and 30 metres high. Designed to accommodate the Concorde and the Boeing 707 and 747 — as seen in the film — they were intended for maintenance. Still in service today, the two cells are separated by an annex of offices and now house the Airbus fleet of the French national company.
In the photograph, the current doors differ from those seen in 1979. For safety reasons, the monumental doors were replaced a few years ago by metal curtains. On the other hand, a detail remains unchanged: during their maintenance, aircraft are always positioned exactly in the same place, providing a discreet but valuable link between the real place and this emblematic scene of Moonraker.
Thanks to Didier Abauzit; François M and Philip Latchford
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This blog shares my travel experiences, from unavoidable destinations to the most original and exclusive places. Each article is the result of careful work and a real time investment. If you use this information elsewhere or for your own adventures, consider citing your sources and thanking – that's what I do myself, and it's always fun.
Julien Abauzit (JaBoz)
