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Getting There

Routes



French motorways are probably the quickest way to get there but are the most boring. Arrow straight and lined with high barriers, the only bits of French countryside you get to see from them are hills.

Many people prefer the older, less direct, but more scenic routes. It depends on whether you want to see some French villages and stop for some food at a cafe or if le crisps will suffice from a motorway pertol station.

Speeding



Very Harshly. Following the Gumball debacle, the Gendarmes aren't going to be kind to Brit registered cars with stickers on and will be out in force.

Of course the simple answer would be don't speed. However, faced with an accelerator pedal beneath your right foot and miles of straight, clear French motorway in front of you it's much harder to ignore the devil on your shoulder.

Firstly the speed limit. On Autoroutes, the speed limit is 130kmh (or 81mph) so you'd be making progress about as quickly as you would on British motorways. However, that limit drops to 110kmh if the weather is poor (ie. raining/misty) and around junctions.

Urban myth: Timing between toll booths. Often discussed, it's not actually the case. Police will measure your speed via radar etc and stop you at the next peage but timing between two peage booths doesn't occur.

The speed limit through towns is 50kmh and the advice is to stick to them. The French police love nothing more than catching some 'Rosbifs' breaking the speed limit in towns and relieving you of lots of spondoolies (standard is a 90 Euro fine), covering you in mayonnaise and rogering you with a blue baguette. Quite simply, get caught speeding in the town and you're buggered.

The fines for speeding vary depending on what you're caught doing but they are heavy. Speed excessively and expect to have your licence taken off you, too. The Entente Cordiale is not what it once was, it seems...

Fortunately the French public dislike this excessive clampdown on speed almost as much as we do and the nicer locals will flash their lights as a warning that you're about to stumble across an angry frog in a bush as it were. However, don't assume that this is normal procedure - always bear in mind that for the majority of the time you won't be warned about impending doom but it is worth checking the oncoming carriageway for flashing headlights.

Guide to Speeding Fines:

Speeding by more than 20 km/h - 50 km/h over the limit(12 mph - 31 mph)

Fine : 90 euros minimum, 750 euros maximum.

Speeding by more than 50 km/h (31 mph)

Fine : 1500 euros
Possible Vehicle Impound and Ban from onward driving.

Second offence speeding by more than 50 km/h (31 mph)

Jail : 3 months
Fine : 3750 euros


Campsites

At the Circuit


Houx


Inside the Circuit ( 5 mins walk to Village) with marked out plots. electricity points and water taps (not drinking water) dotted all over the campsites. Has static shower blocks and Toilets as well as mobile ones. Along with its on outside Cafe/Bar.
Usually Find a good majority of the TVRCC guys in there.

Houx Annexe



Party central or a buch of hooligans depending on your point of view. Worth experiencing at least once, it's the noisiest (if you discount the cars and they're getting quieter) and has the most atmosphere. Especially on the Friday before the race when the access roundabout becomes the equivalent of Tesco car park after dark. Best do your shopping early on Friday morning if you don't fancy the walk.

Bleu



Don't confuse with Parking Bleu where pitching a tent is an open invitiation to have your head run over at night if security don't get there first.

Camping Bleu is outside the circuit and therefore more susceptible than most to the undesirable locals, so if it's not nailed down lock it away. Other than that it's not a bad place to pitch up and the Lotus 7 Club use this area, often with their own security. Just bear in mind that some parts the ground isn't that flat.

Hygiene facilities in Bleu are usually a hosepipe and a toilet block, so it's a bucket of water in the tent or a long walk to another camp site's facilities.

Maison Blanche


MB has some public amenities but the queues for a shower are usually very long in the mornings and at the end of a hot day. The queue for the lavatories is often bearable (just) but remeber to plan your ablutions ahead in the mornings...

For Le Mans, MB is the base for the Drinking for Holland gang.

Other Campsites



Camping Municipal Du Val De Sarthe



About 20km from the circuit so a bit of a drive, but an excellent campsite, frequented by a fair few racegoers. There's often live music in the town centre and a few nice places to eat plus a couple of supermarches.

The site offers static tents, which are excellent value and feature cooking and refridgeration facilities, plus there's a decent sized and very clean shower and toilet block.

It's also just off the N138 so a good place to head back to after the race, sit back at one of the bars and watch the Brits drive home.

Further info: http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revi...

Hotels, Guest Houses etc


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Viewing points

Grandstands


Dunlop 5 - Close to the Bridge to get either side of the circuit and a good view of the cars coming up from the start finish straight. Big braking area for the new corners and quite a few incidents. Opposite a large TV screen to keep you updated. Behind (in 2006) is the Stage for the Saturday night concert. Levellers for 2007. Toilets behind.

Standing


For the start/finish get there early. You will get good views anywhere in the evening