Return Sunday or Monday

[stumpage]

I used to go every year to Le Mans but since the arrival of child No1 I have had a gap of 4 years.

So now my usual pilgrimage is back on and I have a question. We used to stay for the Sunday night, find a nice place to eat and have a chilled evening before a leisurely drive back on the Monday. Is that still the way to do it or will I find that I have nothing left when I return to the camp site after said meal?
Staying in Maison Blanc if that helps.

[BradRWills]

We do something similar. Pack up Sunday morning, leave after the traffic has died down at about 8pm, get up to Deauville for about 10pm, get a cheap hotel room, and invariably, get out on the town. Last year, the Sunday night, was the most memorable of the whole trip (although this had more to do with a drunk american girl, and our friend... who happens to swing both ways beating all of us off to claim the prize, which she hadn't worked for, more than anything else....)

[Zed 44]

stumpage said:

I used to go every year to Le Mans but since the arrival of child No1 I have had a gap of 4 years.

So now my usual pilgrimage is back on and I have a question. We used to stay for the Sunday night, find a nice place to eat and have a chilled evening before a leisurely drive back on the Monday. Is that still the way to do it or will I find that I have nothing left when I return to the camp site after said meal?
Staying in Maison Blanc if that helps.

We booked a hotel in Le Mans as we're heading for Italy after. The hotel owner tried to cancel the booking later. I subsequently found out that hotels were charging between £150 and £400 for the Sunday night. My booking price was £90. Little wonder she wanted to cancel mine. I'm still uncertain what my status is but she has re-confirmed the booking in an e-mail. So, if you haven't booked, good luck!

[Rs2oo]

Sunday night is the best night, race over, let the vast majority scramble to get out while we chill out with our mates, have a BBQ a laugh a few drinks then leave monday and do some shopping at Calais.

[hurststeve]

Nobody's tried to answer the OP's question though have they.

I would think that you would stand a high chance of having stuff pinched if you left it alone for hours on the Sunday evening. But I doubt if it has got worse since you were last there so perhaps I'm paranoid. Certainly in Beausejour I have had to give out some hard Paddington Bear stares to roaming youths on the Sunday evening.

[yeti]

From memory, good 5yrs since I camped, the s will take anything on site from 6pm onwards as they believe it's been abandoned.

If you aren't there, they'll have the lot IMHO. You could chuck it all in your car and stick the tent back up in the evening?

[stumpage]

BradRWills said:

We do something similar. Pack up Sunday morning, leave after the traffic has died down at about 8pm, get up to Deauville for about 10pm, get a cheap hotel room, and invariably, get out on the town. Last year, the Sunday night, was the most memorable of the whole trip (although this had more to do with a drunk american girl, and our friend... who happens to swing both ways beating all of us off to claim the prize, which she hadn't worked for, more than anything else....)

Now that sounds like a plan!!

Edited by stumpage on Thursday 12th May 10:40

[wezo]

We usually do the same, let the traffic die down and lave around 6 and get up to either Honfleur or Deauville for 9, nice meal and cheap hotel, then easy drive home on Monday. Deauville/Trouville has better night life and 2 casinos, Honfleur is prettier and more chilled out. Its Honfleur for us this year as the Etap is in the middle of town whereas the one in Deauville is a hike and the Ibis in Deauville is very expansive this year.

[RobbyJ]

So how many stay on Sunday evening then? It's my first trip and the guy at First Tickets advised going back early on Monday was the best way, I now have visions of 4 of us alone in the middle of an empty rubbish strewn camp site fighting off hoards of local feral p1keys!? Oh and I'm staying in Bleu Nord with other PH members but not in the secure AM owners club area.

[mike80]

Slight editing mistake...

[mike80]

Usually quite a lot of people stay on Sunday night. Often I've found it's the best night of lot for having a drink with your neighbours, and general chilling out. Usually plenty of fireworks, and randomness. Once the race has finished we tend to relax in the campsite for a bit, then pack up the non essential stuff. Usually head to the Mcdonalds about 7pm (we know how to enjoy ourselves...), and drive the bits of track you can drive.

We always used to get the closest ferry to midnight on a monday back, but then you do often find yourself in an empty campsite and it's a bit depressing! Now we leave at a reasonable time in the morning, stuck up on food and fuel for the drive back, and go for a late afternoon/eary evening ferry.

[MATTP77]

Sunday night will not be so memorable for me this year, as i am fearful that i may have to be a driver monday AM.

[RobbyJ]

Thanks Mike80, that makes me feel better about it. We'll just be sure to hot foot it back to our camp site after the race and fire up the BBQ a settle in

[fordyx]

RobbyJ said:

Thanks Mike80, that makes me feel better about it. We'll just be sure to hot foot it back to our camp site after the race and fire up the BBQ a settle in

Best way to do it :-)

[Dyl]

RobbyJ said:

So how many stay on Sunday evening then? It's my first trip and the guy at First Tickets advised going back early on Monday was the best way, I now have visions of 4 of us alone in the middle of an empty rubbish strewn camp site fighting off hoards of local feral p1keys!? Oh and I'm staying in Bleu Nord with other PH members but not in the secure AM owners club area.

If I have understood that correctly then we'll be in a pitch next to or very close to yours. Our ferry from Calais isn't 'til about 2pm on the Monday, so we'll be going back to chill out for a few hours post-race before getting some sleep. Planning on leaving camp early Monday morning for the long journey home...

[RobbyJ]

Our tunnel back is at about 15.20 I think. We'll be arriving Friday afternoon in a grey Audi S4 so say hi and we'll see if we can muster up a luke warm beer for you

[Chris71]

I tend to find I'm knackered by Sunday evening and indeed of a few hours kip before heading back, so I stay 'till Monday morning. My view: You'd have to really want to be back at work to get on heavily-policed (and large unlit motorways) at with a moderate case of sleep deprivation.

[pie_boy69]

I like the Sunday night, we normally scoure the site for fire wood or anything that will burn and have a nice fire whilst drinking the remiander of our beers, a large BBQ to cook whats left and chill out, a lot more randomnes you do tend to chat to people.

[fordyx]

pie_boy69 said:

I like the Sunday night, we normally scoure the site for fire wood or anything that will burn and have a nice fire whilst drinking the remiander of our beers, a large BBQ to cook whats left and chill out, a lot more randomnes you do tend to chat to people.

Agreed with the randomness of Sunday night... we bumped into Tiff Needell, well he stumbled across our bbq en route to the Speedchills bar a couple of years back on Beaujour

[-Lummox-]

I agree with the Monday vote. I have tried leaving at the end of the race before, and taken nearly 6 hours to get out of Le Mans town. Definitely prefer to have a fire / BBQ, finish the remaining beers, and have a bit of a send-off party on the Sunday night, then cruise back at a leisurely pace on roads largely clear of BiB.