Spa F1 Camping, Travel and tips....
Discussion
Afternoon all.... I have been googling day after day to try to find out as much information as I can about going to my first F1. I have picked Spa in August and there will be 4 of us going, just wondering if anyone has any tips for me?
Our 2 plans are either to get the train from London to Spa and take my tent with me for the 4 of us, that way we can hopefully find a campsite with a nice bit of atmosphere but hopefully one that isn't a state as I have seen from some reviews! The other option was to get the train and find an apartment down there.
Any suggestions on locations or any other tips from anyone who has already been there would be great
CHeers
Our 2 plans are either to get the train from London to Spa and take my tent with me for the 4 of us, that way we can hopefully find a campsite with a nice bit of atmosphere but hopefully one that isn't a state as I have seen from some reviews! The other option was to get the train and find an apartment down there.
Any suggestions on locations or any other tips from anyone who has already been there would be great
CHeers
We stayed on the official track campsites. 5 minute walk to the main gate.
5 of us turned up with a big tent, a sleeping bag each, and several crates of beer.
We were hopelessly unprepared compared to the Europeans who turned up with their low loaders complete with Hot Tubs, fold out disco's and gas powered mortars.
Every night you'd just be drifting off to sleep to the subtle thump of Euro Hard Techno, when you'd s
t yourself as one of their "air bombs" detonated.
Hilariously funny. Very very good natured bunch of party people and lots and lots of fun. More than happy to share a beer too.
5 of us turned up with a big tent, a sleeping bag each, and several crates of beer.
We were hopelessly unprepared compared to the Europeans who turned up with their low loaders complete with Hot Tubs, fold out disco's and gas powered mortars.
Every night you'd just be drifting off to sleep to the subtle thump of Euro Hard Techno, when you'd s
t yourself as one of their "air bombs" detonated. Hilariously funny. Very very good natured bunch of party people and lots and lots of fun. More than happy to share a beer too.
Great choice for your first F1 race
We went a couple years ago and camped at "Camping L'Eau Rouge" they have a facebook page, we drove down via the ferry only took a few hrs once in calais got there thursday afternoon for the pitwalk
Make sure you take clothes for all conditions we got soaked on the friday practice and sunburnt on the Saturday qually!
Great atmosphere in the campsite and at the track
We went a couple years ago and camped at "Camping L'Eau Rouge" they have a facebook page, we drove down via the ferry only took a few hrs once in calais got there thursday afternoon for the pitwalk
Make sure you take clothes for all conditions we got soaked on the friday practice and sunburnt on the Saturday qually!
Great atmosphere in the campsite and at the track
Thanks guys, it sounds very hit and miss for the camping with the offical sites from what the reviews are saying.... I want the atmosphere of a F1 with the music going and the beers flowing... but I dont want to crawl around in other peoples C~@P just to go to the loo.... so was mainly trying to work out if the people leaving the rubbish reviews of the sites near the citruit were being OTT or if they are that bad.
Muzzer79 - was there must of an atmosphere at the place you stayed at with the Caravan ? a Caravan sounds like the best of both worlds if you can get a bit of a buzz around the camp site.
Dan_1981 - can you remember which of the offical sites you stayed at ? sounds like a good laugh there. Was it just a mud put of was it actually okay? we would be taking our 8 man tent for 4 of us so will hopefully have lots of space. Will be interesting taking it over on the train though !!!
Muzzer79 - was there must of an atmosphere at the place you stayed at with the Caravan ? a Caravan sounds like the best of both worlds if you can get a bit of a buzz around the camp site.
Dan_1981 - can you remember which of the offical sites you stayed at ? sounds like a good laugh there. Was it just a mud put of was it actually okay? we would be taking our 8 man tent for 4 of us so will hopefully have lots of space. Will be interesting taking it over on the train though !!!
I can't remember to be honest - It was a coloured campsite - red or blue or brown or something - literally 5 minutes walk.
We entered around turn 6 / 7 though so was at that end of the circuit.
The toilets were basic porta-loos. But they were cleaned daily.
It wasn't too muddy to say it rained a fair bit. The bars / catering were all basic marquees with pop up bars in but had superb atmosphere.
We entered around turn 6 / 7 though so was at that end of the circuit.
The toilets were basic porta-loos. But they were cleaned daily.
It wasn't too muddy to say it rained a fair bit. The bars / catering were all basic marquees with pop up bars in but had superb atmosphere.
Thanks Dan, sounds like the kind of thing I am looking for. I will see if I can track down the site I have seen a few that a yellow and Green on here... does that look familiure ?
https://www.bookf1.com/f1-belgium/accommodation-de...
I am getting excited already :-D
I have seen a few that a yellow and Green on here... does that look familiure ?https://www.bookf1.com/f1-belgium/accommodation-de...
I am getting excited already :-D
You have to camp to do spa justice just don't expect much sleep we went one year and after the fireworks at about 1am and I'm talking industrial fireworks set off about 10 meters from the beer tent we thought we'd get some sleep, ended up dancing to race music in a caravan awning till the early hours. It's the Dutch they are crazy! We drive down stay in hotels Friday and Sunday camp for the one night and make go into the local villages for food before the beer tent at night. Oh and it maybe August but that means very little you need layers!
Enjoy if you see a blue Porsche 968 laden with camping stuff give us a shout.
Enjoy if you see a blue Porsche 968 laden with camping stuff give us a shout.
Dan_1981 said:
That's where we will be this year. I went last year, it was my first F1, we camped, but I can't remember which one we stayed in.
It rained a fair bit, and the field became a bog!nobody could get in or out unless you had a 4x4, which spoilt it for my mate who was driving, as he really worshipped his poor car.
The atmosphere was good, the music never went on too late, or was too loud, not compared with Le Mans anyway!
No shower blocks on our site, which was a bit rubbish
Great experience though, would go again.
It rained a fair bit, and the field became a bog!nobody could get in or out unless you had a 4x4, which spoilt it for my mate who was driving, as he really worshipped his poor car.
The atmosphere was good, the music never went on too late, or was too loud, not compared with Le Mans anyway!
No shower blocks on our site, which was a bit rubbish
Great experience though, would go again.
Nice one guys, I will have a look !
Yea it never stops at LeMans does it, much pumping all weekend... which is good , until you want to sleep I guess! Just trying to get the right combination of atmosphere and not roughing it too much.
Time to have a look at the site.
Thanks again guys! and I might see you there BoRED S2upid.
It will be interesting carting a 6 man tent over on the train from Devon though..... its all part of the fun though :-D
Yea it never stops at LeMans does it, much pumping all weekend... which is good , until you want to sleep I guess! Just trying to get the right combination of atmosphere and not roughing it too much.
Time to have a look at the site.
Thanks again guys! and I might see you there BoRED S2upid.
It will be interesting carting a 6 man tent over on the train from Devon though..... its all part of the fun though :-D
I did camping verte in 2008 with Mrs Chev and a friend. We were within spitting distance of Rivage (could see the corner itself). Mrs Chev did not enjoy herself much: the toilets were crap and our neighbours played terrible music at discoteque volume until 5am.
So, not a total success. She found Bathurst infinitely more palatable by comparison - and that place has one hell of a reputation. I've been to Spa a couple of times since for the GP and the 24 Hours and stopped in a near-by hotel. Works better for me as motor racing is about racing not partying but everyone will have a different experience and opinion.
What I will say is that Spa is just mega. I'm calling in for quali day of the WEC in May and can't wait!
So, not a total success. She found Bathurst infinitely more palatable by comparison - and that place has one hell of a reputation. I've been to Spa a couple of times since for the GP and the 24 Hours and stopped in a near-by hotel. Works better for me as motor racing is about racing not partying but everyone will have a different experience and opinion.
What I will say is that Spa is just mega. I'm calling in for quali day of the WEC in May and can't wait!
marksmithuk said:
Oh, were there any supermarkets near by to grab a BBQ / Food / Beer from, bear in mind we aren't planning on taking a car ...
Not really. The track is relatively isolated from the towns (it's a couple of miles from each end really), despite the corners being named after the towns they come closest to!marksmithuk said:
Oh, were there any supermarkets near by to grab a BBQ / Food / Beer from, bear in mind we aren't planning on taking a car ...
There are buses that run from the main roads down hill but it is a trek just befriend a fellow Brit and hitch a lift will be plenty of us there worst case you eat burgers and chips and drink beer all weekend. Ho hum! We've done the Elephant and Eau Rouge Camping at Spa, this year we're taking our lives in our hands and staying at the F1 Hotels camp site which may be a tad rowdier..
The Elephant is ok once you've sussed out the quicker walk to the track (Towards La Souce, left out of the gate) but it's still a 20-30 minute walk up & down hills, you won't be "nipping back to the campsite"
Eau Rouge is a better camp site but is much further away from the action, there are regular mini buses that take you to the track Fri-Sun, but if you want to go to the grid walk Thursday be prepared for a hike as they only open the La Source gate which is at the opposite end of the circuit to Eau Rouge camping. It's a great site with onsite food & drink. top tip: make friends with the Dutch and get to play in their F1 simulator
We prefer to stay at the La Source end of the circuit because you feel more involved in the event, but whatever you do it's better than Silverstone.
The Elephant is ok once you've sussed out the quicker walk to the track (Towards La Souce, left out of the gate) but it's still a 20-30 minute walk up & down hills, you won't be "nipping back to the campsite"
Eau Rouge is a better camp site but is much further away from the action, there are regular mini buses that take you to the track Fri-Sun, but if you want to go to the grid walk Thursday be prepared for a hike as they only open the La Source gate which is at the opposite end of the circuit to Eau Rouge camping. It's a great site with onsite food & drink. top tip: make friends with the Dutch and get to play in their F1 simulator
We prefer to stay at the La Source end of the circuit because you feel more involved in the event, but whatever you do it's better than Silverstone.
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