Spa - campsite help please!

Spa - campsite help please!

Author
Discussion

FastRich

Original Poster:

542 posts

199 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
Hi all,

As a regular Le Mans attendees, next year we're going to try Spa for the Blancpain 24 hour, for the first time.

I've only been to Spa once and stayed at a hotel so have very little/zero knowledge of campsites at the track and in the surrounding areas.

At Le Mans, we have camped away from the circuit for the quiet element but it means driving all the time which is a pain. We've also camped at the track so we can cycle around and have beers. We normally camp at Mulsanne as it's a great corner, there's a supermarket a 5 minute walk away, a big screen to see all the action elsewhere on the track and the atmosphere is generally good.

What we're ideally looking for is a campsite at/in Spa so we're close to the action but we also need a supermarket not too far away and preferably we don't want somewhere where there's German House music blasting out all night!

Can anyone recommend a decent campsite that's well within a cycle ride, is secure and not likely to be occupied with idiots?

Thanks,
Rich


rwstokes

196 posts

143 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
I went to the Spa 24h this year and stayed on this campsite. Really friendly owners, speak enough English if like me, your dutch is a little rusty (non-existant smile )

http://en.eaurouge.nl/

Its down the road from Stavelot, about 30 min walk to the track, or drive, or cycle. Its less than 2 miles away.

They also have electrical hookups which is very handy, and a pool which this year was very much appreciated as it was rather warm.

The site was really quiet too, mostly families and only about 9 or 10 groups of tents for the race, but most on normal holidays. So accordingly, nice and quiet and easy to get a decent nights kip.

FastRich

Original Poster:

542 posts

199 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
rwstokes said:
I went to the Spa 24h this year and stayed on this campsite. Really friendly owners, speak enough English if like me, your dutch is a little rusty (non-existant smile )

http://en.eaurouge.nl/

Its down the road from Stavelot, about 30 min walk to the track, or drive, or cycle. Its less than 2 miles away.

They also have electrical hookups which is very handy, and a pool which this year was very much appreciated as it was rather warm.

The site was really quiet too, mostly families and only about 9 or 10 groups of tents for the race, but most on normal holidays. So accordingly, nice and quiet and easy to get a decent nights kip.
Thanks for this. Funnily enough, this is the only site which really grabbed my attention so far - the only thing which put me off was its location but I also know to get everything else it offers so close to the track is near impossible if it's anything like Le Mans.

HorneyMX5

5,306 posts

149 months

Monday 20th October 2014
quotequote all
Myself and Mrs HorneyMX5 stayed at the site for the 6 Hours last september. Brilliant place with great facilities and friendly owners. We'll be staying there again when we next visit Spa.


rwstokes

196 posts

143 months

Tuesday 4th November 2014
quotequote all
FastRich said:
rwstokes said:
I went to the Spa 24h this year and stayed on this campsite. Really friendly owners, speak enough English if like me, your dutch is a little rusty (non-existant smile )

http://en.eaurouge.nl/

Its down the road from Stavelot, about 30 min walk to the track, or drive, or cycle. Its less than 2 miles away.

They also have electrical hookups which is very handy, and a pool which this year was very much appreciated as it was rather warm.

The site was really quiet too, mostly families and only about 9 or 10 groups of tents for the race, but most on normal holidays. So accordingly, nice and quiet and easy to get a decent nights kip.
Thanks for this. Funnily enough, this is the only site which really grabbed my attention so far - the only thing which put me off was its location but I also know to get everything else it offers so close to the track is near impossible if it's anything like Le Mans.
Its worth pointing out that you can get into the track at Stavelot though, so you don't have to drive all the way round and up to Eau Rouge. They do charge you to park on the friday/saturday but its only about €10 from memory.

kalexan273

144 posts

114 months

Sunday 11th January 2015
quotequote all
A group of us went to Spa last year for the week, really great event, though the full week is a bit tiring. We stayed in Spa at the Best Western in the center of town over the Tuesday and Wednesday night as it allowed us to see all the parade on the Wednesday (if you go you don't want to miss it) then booked into a campsite about 15 minutes from the circuit for the next 4 days. We'd have camped closer but it was too late really to get in any good places. The campsite was Spa D'or, they have static caravans with three rooms available for a good price, we paid about 450 euros, which split between us was quite cheap.

It costs 10 euros a day to park at the circuit, though Saturday is really busy and for some reason they turned UK plate cars away from the circuit and made us park about a 15 minute walk from the entrance.

Was a great experience and for the event most of the circuit and stands are open to standard ticket holders, we spent quite a bit of time above the pits in the bar overlooking the chicane and pits. hopefully the corporate events companies won't take over some of the access as more people head to it each year.

One thing to note is the lack of public transport, no local bus services and even though the event is getting bigger each year there was no special ones laid on for the day.

Off to Lemans this year, I can see that being less laid back and far more commercial.


.





Edited by kalexan273 on Sunday 11th January 09:58

FastRich

Original Poster:

542 posts

199 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
kalexan273,

Thanks for that info. Please could you tell me a bit more about the parade? We said we'd go out on the thursday morning but if the parade is that good, we can go out a day earlier - what's it all about and what time does it start/finish etc?

Thanks in advance,

Richard

kalexan273

144 posts

114 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
On Wednesday morning they open the F1 pits and you can look at them prepping the cars for free practice, we were lucky enough to get into the HTP Motorsport Mercedes garage for a look around.

In the afternoon, about 3pm? the police close off the main road between the circuit and Spa town, the cars and circuit cars all travel into town for the drivers briefing, which takes place in the Town Hall. We parked up at the local airport and watched the cars travel into town, the procession takes about ten minutes to drive past. The drivers are supposed to take it easy but the opportunity to take them on public roads means a few drivers like to open them out a little. It's a big tradition for the teams to head into town, I'm not sure they allow it at any other events?

In the town the cars all park up and for maybe 30 minutes the drivers are at hand to sign posters etc. and the mechanics stand over the cars, most are happy to chat, around 5pm they drive back to the circuit. We drove back into town, parked just outside the center, had a look around the cars, then just chilled out at a bar and had a few beers as the cars went back. The weather was really good, so it was an easy choice to make.

If you look on YouTube there are quite a few videos of Spa 24 parades.

Thursday is a morning and afternoon practice, followed by qualifying, a day and a night time session, then Friday they have a few support races and the super pole.




FastRich

Original Poster:

542 posts

199 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
quotequote all
Thanks kalexan273 that sounds great.

I'll chat to my buddy and see what gives. Seems like it's worth seeing - certainly a bit different from Le Mans where the police seem to crack down on even a rev.