After race traffic

[Mutley]

After the race has finished and everyone heads for home, does anyone have an idea as to what time the traffic dies down?

Will be on MB, and a possibility that we may leave on the sunday night as we only have one driver for the camper.

Cheers

[Steffan boffey]

Sure we left around 5-5:30 last year and got straight out with no waiting.

[JamesBryan88]

Steffan boffey said:

Sure we left around 5-5:30 last year and got straight out with no waiting.

Yeah i think we did. Might have just been lucky though.

[The Leaper]

Son and I have been going to LM nearly every year since 1996, always parking in Parking Blanc which is not far from MB camping area. Note that we usually travel home on Monday so we stay overnight in Falaise. We usually wait a couple of hours after the race has finished before we start the trip to Falaise. We can tell when things are going to be OK by watching the dwindling cars leaving Parking Blanc. It's never completely free of traffic but we do keep moving. We usually get directed into Arnage and then out through the industrial area to the south west of LM.

There was one year I went on my own and needed to get back home Sunday evening. The only way to get out of the circuit promptly was to leave about 30 minutes before the end of the race...shame really as it was a close race! Anyway, traffic was non existent so the plan worked. Had RLM on and listened to the race finish as well. Got to Calais in well less than 4 hours.

R.

[knight]

Last went in 2010 and we left for the ferry right after the race finish, we watched at the first Ford chicane, then walked back to parking blanc then left, had a slight holdup heading back towards the town but as soon as we got on the road towards St Saturnin everything was fine, even took the old 138 route back and thoroughly enjoyed it

[EnjyBenjy]

Enjoy the after race atmos and leave on the Monday

[DMN]

When we've booked a hotel for the Sunday night we've always shot off just before the end of the race. Otherwise its best to sit it out and watch the traffic jams with a few cold beers.

[eastsider]

We are on Sunday night Eurotunnel this year for the first time so planning to pack up Sunday AM, move car to Mulsanne and watch the last few hours from there then get away on this route:

click here

If anyone has tried that in the past and has any feedback I would be interested to hear!

If its going to be another audi walkover we'll probably bail 30 mins early, but if its close would like to stay for the last lap.

Edited by eastsider on Thursday 30th May 12:43

[Mutley]

Thanks for all the answers, seems waiting a couple of hours is an idea

EnjyBenjy said:

Enjoy the after race atmos and leave on the Monday

Would normally, but due to only having the one driver this year, am working out contingency plans

eastsider said:

We are on Sunday night Eurotunnel this year for the first time so planning to pack up Sunday AM, move car to Mulsanne and watch the last few hours from there then get away on this route:

<a href="http://www.clubarnage.com/wiki/doku.php?id=ca_guiden-the-run">click here</a>

If anyone has tried that in the past and has any feedback I would be interested to hear!

If its going to be another audi walkover we'll probably bail 30 mins early, but if its close would like to stay for the last lap.

Read that in the CA guide this morning while looking for traffic info, not tried it myself, but the guide is usually a tried and tested resource
Possible walk over, but now the Petrol LMP1's have had a 3litre tank enlargement, it may help the Toyotas and Strakka etc

[School boy]

When the Germans have won we leave like they're chasing us to the border. Still missed the 11pm ferry by 10 minutes and had to get the 4am one.

Edited by School boy on Friday 31st May 20:01

[Rs2oo]

Tolls can be a pain with the queuing traffic. Once off the campsite it flows quite well.

[eastsider]

One alternative idea we might try this year is lunchtime Sunday move car into town somewhere, eg Carrefour car park – watch end of the race from TR then jump straight onto tram up to town, grab car and head out. Anyone tried anything like that in the past? Is it possible to leave a car in Carrefour car park for 4hours ish without any probs?

[lowdrag]

As a local I concur with seeing the finish of the race from Mulsanne and if I was looking to get away quickly that is the route I'd take to J24 of the A28. Alternatively, you can see the end from Tertre Rouge and pick up the ring road to the motorway from there.

[t1grm]

I usually park up by Aerodrome Sunday morning, stay till the end of the podium ceremony and head off towards Paris. Bit of a queue to get on the A11 (mostly traffic heading North) but nothing worth making plans to avoid.

[knight]

eastsider said:

We are on Sunday night Eurotunnel this year for the first time so planning to pack up Sunday AM, move car to Mulsanne and watch the last few hours from there then get away on this route:

click here

If anyone has tried that in the past and has any feedback I would be interested to hear!

If its going to be another audi walkover we'll probably bail 30 mins early, but if its close would like to stay for the last lap.

Edited by eastsider on Thursday 30th May 12:43

Done a departure from Mulsanne as well, think that was 2003, again no problems getting away and got to the ferry in good time and that included driving a poorly Skyline GTR.

[Storer]

Not departing until Tuesday morning so hopefully nice and quiet by then and all the Gendarmes will have gone home, having generated enough for their Christmas parties.

[Chrisgr31]

eastsider said:

One alternative idea we might try this year is lunchtime Sunday move car into town somewhere, eg Carrefour car park – watch end of the race from TR then jump straight onto tram up to town, grab car and head out. Anyone tried anything like that in the past? Is it possible to leave a car in Carrefour car park for 4hours ish without any probs?

I have considered that option but never done it. However I am not sure the Carrefour is open on Sunday and therefore the car park might not be open. I was considering actually putting the car at the other end of the tram line (Universitie?) however I have always found that I can watch the end of the race in the main grandstand, then walk back to the campsite (Expo) and get out ok. However this year am staying in Beausejour so might be a different issue!

I have however in the past got stuck at the tolls, although I think the French may have solved that with additional staff in recent years.

[lowdrag]

Carrefour car park is never closed, so available if you want. but I'd personally think hard about leaving a car unattended in a supermarket car park remembering that (1) it is closed on a Sunday and (2) you are not far from one of the more notorious council estates.

[gt6]

In the past before we satrted camping at Tertre Rouge we always packed the car up and then moved it to the car parks (green) close to TR corner, we would watch the final laps and then leap into the car and away, now days we can just leave the car in the camp site and head off after the race.

[eastsider]

Chrisgr31 said:

I was considering actually putting the car at the other end of the tram line (Universitie?)

Interesting idea in theory but the Tram takes about 30 mins to get to the Republique central plaza so would be nearly an hour to Universitie I’d guess? I’m hoping to be half way to Rouen by then!

lowdrag said:

Carrefour car park is never closed, so available if you want. but I'd personally think hard about leaving a car unattended in a supermarket car park remembering that (1) it is closed on a Sunday and (2) you are not far from one of the more notorious council estates.

Thanks good point. I think we'll go for Mulsanne option.