Angouleme Circuit de Ramparts

[crossy67]

Who's going the the Circuit de ramparts in Angouleme France then? It's on from 18th-22nd September. Really good event where you can see old cars being raced round the city walls, some times into them too. Sunday's the best day, even if you just want to wander round the city looking at vintage Bugatis parked unattended in old courtyards waiting for their next race.

http://www.circuit-des-remparts.com/

[fay970l]

Yes, we're going and looking forward to it. Any advice on where to park, tickets, where to watch etc would be greatly appreciated as its our first time.

[crossy67]

We've only been once three years ago. We're too busy putting up guests to go now. You can get a pass that will get you into the paddocks cheaply but you won't see much of the racing from there. You will see lots of really interesting, rare and very valuable cars though.

Have a look through my photobucket at some of the pictures. There's a lot of crap on there too but most of the decent pictures are on pages 2-11. I seem to have lost all the photos I took from the paddocks of the old LM cars. I need to dig them out they were really quite good. http://s170.photobucket.com/user/crossy67/library/...

[V8 FOU]

Trying to get the OH to get some time off for this. Could be a blast in the Bentley!
Interestingly, the shortest route is Newhaven - Dieppe from here (Tunbridge Wells), and about the best ferry value too.

[suffolk009]

I went with mates last year. It is brilliant. Buy the most expensive ticket they sell - this will get you into the pits and a seat in the grandstand - it is still (by UK standards) absurdly cheap.

Watching the racing is nice, but it's the atmosphere you go for. So anywhere with a view of the track is great. There are no real vantage points.

We rented a house 45mins drive away and just drove into town. There are a couple of huge underground car parks up in the city, right were you need to be. They were pretty cheap (again compared to UK). You've also got the chance to drive the circuit in the evening.

I've been to many historic events, and this was by far and away the best of the lot. Expect we'l be back there next year. Hope you enjoy it.

[crossy67]

Where was the place you rented?

[Elderly]

suffolk009 said:

There are no real vantage points.

For me this was the biggest disappointment.

It was really hard to get any good views, there were many layers of catch fencing in front of the grandstand we went into,
and even catch fencing in front of viewing points high up above the circuit.
Moving positions from one area to another meant you had to divert a fair way from the circuit itself through the streets,
which took time, during which you could see no action at all.

Organisation seemed a bit chaotic but it was rather magical watching Bugattis racing through the streets.

[suffolk009]

crossy67 said:

Where was the place you rented?

Just found it on one of a holiday homes website, maybe ownersdirect. 40minutes drive North East. Nice enough - but nothing special.

[derektrimblitz]

Me and the missus going.

'65 Fastback Mustang

Wonder if we'll get there, I'll take some tools...

[crossy67]

You not going near Aubeterre-sur-Dronne are you? We have a lot of Stangs visit a couple of times a year, wondering if you're one of the noisy buggers.

[derektrimblitz]

Not been before. It's the first real trip in this car.

It is very noisy though. In a good way.

[venusdimilo]

Hi

There are five ( 4TVR+a Ferrari) of us going down Wednesday with a stop around Le Mans. Staying in Angouleme for three night and have space in the display for Sunday. Really looking forward to this. Let's hope the sun shines.

Steve

[AC BILKO]

There's 5 cars with 8 peeps going in my mob, 2 x cobs, 1 MGB, 1 TVR Chim and us in a Black 3.0Si Z4 so should be a good drive down.
we're also going on Wednesday and staying over night near Le Mans (take some pics next to Mulsanne sign), coming back following Wednesday.
This is mine and the wife's 3rd time to the Ramparts, normally just buy the tickets on the day but this time we've booked 8 seats up in the cathedral grandstand, let's hope there good seats.
We're thinking we may all tag on the back of the Saturday convoy this year instead of sitting at the road side watching them all go by.

While your down there it's well worth a visit to the village of the martyrs and over to Jarnac for a tour of the Courvoisier distillery (orheaven as the wife calls it, lol)

here's some old utube vids the wife took from a few of years ago, sorry about the quality taken on a sad camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaLwyz65uJg&li...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqO9ZR7hfkY&in...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uF7wsA_A3E&in...

Edited by AC BILKO on Saturday 13th September 13:10

[crossy67]

AC BILKO said:

Jarnac for a tour of the Courvoisier distillery (orheaven as the wife calls it, lol)

No no no. That stuffs the Woodpecker of Cognac. Don't buy any thing until you've been to the Ballouet distillery. I go now and again and buy his 5 year old cognac, it's beautifully smooth drinkable neat. I tried his 3 year old and that's also really nice. Can't remember 100% but around 16€ a bottle for the 5 year and 12€ for the 3 year old. He also does a decent (but not the best) pineau at 6€ last time I visited. This is the place the locals buy their cognac, he grows his own grapes and ferments them then distills them. It's all done in house.

The place is really uninspiring to look at but he does a good tour of an authentic working distillery, he speaks English and his produce is second to none. If you're going with your wife don't let her wear a short skirt (trousers are best) becasue he'll send her up a ladder to sample the pineau directly from a 3 meter tall vat whilst he stands holding the ladder looking up .

His address is:

1 r Ardillères, 17490 NEUVICQ LE CHATEAU

Yellow pager link with his hours and contact details are:

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pros/05317022


If you want to buy a load of wine don't waste your time in supermarkets, go do the dealers in St Emilion, you can get some really good deals. I get a 200-2004 bottle of Bordeaux that's gorgeous for 12€ a bottle and some really nice 2005 Pomerol for 20€ for a special treat. To buy anything like that in a supermarket would be 25€ and 35€ respectively.

[venusdimilo]

Hi

There are five ( 4TVR+a Ferrari) of us going down Wednesday with a stop around Le Mans. Staying in Angouleme for three night and have space in the display for Sunday. Really looking forward to this. Let's hope the sun shines.

Steve

[derektrimblitz]

We're driving down from Lancs on Wednesday. Staying Caen then Tours and onto Angouleme Friday.
Will look out for PHers

[nawarne]

venusdimilo said:

Hi

There are five ( 4TVR+a Ferrari) of us going down Wednesday with a stop around Le Mans. Staying in Angouleme for three night and have space in the display for Sunday. Really looking forward to this. Let's hope the sun shines.

Steve

We're all getting gee'd up for this now.

In fact, our group are in A'leme for 4 nights - Thursday through Sunday, setting off on the return on Monday am. The youTube videos of last year look brilliant.
Nick

[crossy67]

We have the parade pas tour house at about 2.30pm, we shall be sitting on the balcony for an hour or so with a couple of bottles of something. We have guests staying for the weekend so might have to make room :-(

[Zed 44]

We're planning on going this year but can't seem to find out certain info.

1. Is it advisable to book tickets in advance?

2. Is a grandstand ticket worth it?

3 If yes to the above, which grandstand?

Thanks

[crossy67]

They are a pain for not advertising it very well, god knows why they can't publicise the date earlier.

Yes to a grandstand, the crafty buggers have started putting boards up now so unless you're actually in the circuit you won't see anything. Not sure which one's the best to go for though sorry. Not sure how it works now (only been once) but the time I went you bought a ticket and you could sit wherever you wanted, sure that's changed now. I'm sure they are allocated and as such a lot of corporations buy them and give them as gifts leaving the stands empty as their guests don't show.

The time we went we had pit passes, that was fantastic.