In message , Vernon writes

Unless you want to go to Paris, in which case forget about Gatwick!

Some decades ago there used to be a wonderful "hedge-hopper" service
from Gatwick to Le Touquet (twin-engined prop, as I recall, which hardly
had time to rise more than a few thousand feet before beginning the
descent). It was met by a train on the tarmac at Le Touquet that sped to
Paris, with only a brief stop at Amiens. It was the bee's knees in terms
of speed and low cost in those days - probably faster than anything
available today, given the almost instantaneous check-in and go.

--
Paul Terry