PH Guide to Le Mans
Archive #5565896
Please feel free to contribute to this document. It would be great if we could build it into a useful resource for Le Mans newbies.
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.
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
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.
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.
...?
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
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
Hotels, Guest Houses etc
...?