Hello France! City Update II: France & Local Legend #9: Latécoère 631 released for MSFS

There’s nothing quite as thrilling as the announcement of a new content update for Microsoft Flight Simulator, especially when one part of it is free and the other introduces what appears to be the coolest flying boat ever. This time, the MSFS team revisited France with ‘City Update II‘, which focuses on capturing the beauty of five distinct cities in the country. Alongside this, they released ‘Local Legend #9‘, which features the Latécoère 631, a grand albeit ill-fated flying boat.

Let’s start with City Update II: France. The MSFS team has packed this update with a free tour de France, capturing the mesmerizing beauty of five stunning cities: Amiens, Angers, Nantes, Nîmes, and Reims.

Amiens, nestled in the northern region of France, invites simmers to admire the grandeur of the largest gothic cathedral in the country. Westward in Angers, the towering Angers Cathedral and the city’s distinctive black and white-walled castle are the main attraction. Nantes, located near the Atlantic coast, teems with architectural wonders along the Loire River, including the imposing Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. In the south, Nîmes boasts an impressive collection of Roman-era architecture, like the Arena of Nîmes, an amphitheater that continues to host live shows. Lastly, Reims, located northeast of Paris, presents some of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, especially Reims Cathedral.

In addition to these cities, the update celebrates the Paris Air Show by including the famed Paris–Le Bourget Airport (LFPB), not only in its standard layout but also in a festival configuration. This is the same airport where Charles Lindbergh landed at the end of his historic solo transatlantic crossing in 1927 with the Spirit of St. Louis.

But the journey through France doesn’t stop there. In honor of the rich history of French aviation, Microsoft Flight Simulator is introducing the Latécoère Model 631 as Local Legend #9. This all-metal, high-wing, six-engine flying boat, designed and manufactured by France’s Latécoère Corporation, first took to the sky on November 4, 1942. For several years, it was the largest flying boat in the world, only surpassed by the American Hughes H-4 Hercules “Spruce Goose” and the British Saunders-Roe Princess. As the last of the great trans-oceanic flying boat airliners, the Model 631 flew until the mid-1950s.

The Latécoère Model 631 for MSFS was developed in collaboration with BlueMesh, which brings us a stunning rendition of this historical creation of French aviation. The virtual aircraft comes with a beautifully rendered exterior and interior. The cockpit, in particular, looks like a 1940’s office with the greatest view ever. It’s very welcoming and a sight to behold in itself.

The Latécoère Model 631 is now available in the Marketplace for $14.99 and comes with 16 liveries.