And the French say we are dirty....
Discussion
Had a great time as always this year but NOTHING has changed since last year and very little since 2005. The toilets in the Houx are unchanged since 1959 ? Hole in the ground to poo in, broken lock on the door and an ancient flush system which allows the stench of hundreds of turds to fester in the cesspit which has probably not been cleaned out since Andre Lagache won it in 1926. The showers were filthy and at times unusable because of the water temperature. There was a lake outside the entrance so when you did shower you had to wade through that on the way out. There are hardly any toilets behind the grandstands and the few that are there are a disgrace with hundreds of fans forced to pi$$ against the wall, vans fences etc etc. food at the circuit was virtually non-existent with no choice at all and they closed as soon as the race finished. The ACO needs to wake up and spend a few quid to bring the circuit into the 21st Centry. ACO, put the entry price up by €5 and sort it !
I haven't camped at Houx since about 1999. Can't believe they still haven't sorted those toilets. All the time you are in there having a pee, Madame Laffayette is hosing the floor (and you) down, whilst selling you a piece of bog roll. (France is like a different country at times!!!)
Our M.O. was to go to a local cafe for breakfast and, one-by-one, all use the facilities.
Our M.O. was to go to a local cafe for breakfast and, one-by-one, all use the facilities.
The old block at Maison Blanche hasn't been done up either, but it was regularly cleaned and pretty well up together. I have to agree about the awful block behind the pit grandstands... but the new ones are fine, if/when you can get in.
I have to agree about the food though - same baguettes and steak, frites at every stand and no choice if you don't eat meat.
I have to agree about the food though - same baguettes and steak, frites at every stand and no choice if you don't eat meat.
To be fair, Houx is known for this and Bleu Nord was great. Showers could be quite cool but if you went at a quiet time it was fine. Never queued for more than five minutes, and the bogs were cleaned regularly too - I went in on Friday night and some d
head had managed to smear turd all over the walls in a cubicle and I thought, 'that's that one written off, then..' - but it was spotless in the morning!
Never ran out of paper either. Decent.
head had managed to smear turd all over the walls in a cubicle and I thought, 'that's that one written off, then..' - but it was spotless in the morning!Never ran out of paper either. Decent.
Rs200,
You set out several of the reasons why I joined the ACO some years ago: access to reasonably decent loos and showers and acceptable eating/drinking areas, with well behaved patrons. In the past years I have had a seat in La Sarthe tribune and used the ACO facilities. This year I went for a seat in the ACO tribune so all the facilities were together. However, I still think La Sarthe is overall the better place to be a spectator and it is a bit quieter for listening in to RLM!
There is nowhere near enough facilities, especially out towards the extremities of Tetre Rouge on the inside of the circuit and also at the outside of the Porsche Curves. The ACO really do need to do something about this.
R.
You set out several of the reasons why I joined the ACO some years ago: access to reasonably decent loos and showers and acceptable eating/drinking areas, with well behaved patrons. In the past years I have had a seat in La Sarthe tribune and used the ACO facilities. This year I went for a seat in the ACO tribune so all the facilities were together. However, I still think La Sarthe is overall the better place to be a spectator and it is a bit quieter for listening in to RLM!
There is nowhere near enough facilities, especially out towards the extremities of Tetre Rouge on the inside of the circuit and also at the outside of the Porsche Curves. The ACO really do need to do something about this.
R.
taylor172 said:
by saturday the female toilets by Houx entrance were just the males poo based toilets, i did get a little peeved at having to que behind a load of blokes waiting to have a turd in the female toilets especially when the poo smears started appearing... how does that even happen!!!
A few years ago while staying on Beausejour, there was always a que for the girls loos. Each morning I went with my wife and walked her to the front of the que. no-one complained (quite rightly too)Nothing new around the track its like an open sewer. If you walk along the apron wall outside the main entrance parallel to the main start finish line, there is a steady run of urine all the way along where people have relieved themselves because of the lack of toilet facilities.
Every toilet I saw had queues a dozen deep and when you did get inside it wasnt very pleasant at times.
I can't believe they're not making enough money to make reasonable sanitary provision, at the moment its not even close.
Every toilet I saw had queues a dozen deep and when you did get inside it wasnt very pleasant at times.
I can't believe they're not making enough money to make reasonable sanitary provision, at the moment its not even close.
Rs2oo said:
A few years ago while staying on Beausejour, there was always a que for the girls loos. Each morning I went with my wife and walked her to the front of the que. no-one complained (quite rightly too)
The unwritten (but always obeyed) rule is that Ladies may cut straight in whilst waiting. My Lady joined me at Le Mans for the 3rd time this year and has never had a problem.I will always remember my first year on Houx and being quite close to the old yellowish concrete toilet block! I have cerebral palsy so using these facilities is difficult for me at the best of times so always ended up at the maccie D's by Carrefour to use the facilities 
Luckily the following year I found the portacabin toilets with proper toilets and showers! Its saved me a fortune in Mcdonalds since!
Luckily the following year I found the portacabin toilets with proper toilets and showers! Its saved me a fortune in Mcdonalds since!
I've been staying at Maison Blanche and found the facilities pretty good. I think the toilets were cleaned every hour or 2. For the shower I always went to the st looking block next to the entrance as there is more room and usually near no queue. Although it did flood on a couple of occasions so I just waited 20mins and came back to find it nice and clean.
In regards to the males going into the Ladies, I was in queue to go to the mens when a cleaning lady told me to go to the ladies as there was nobody in there...
What did my head in was people pissing against trees and barriers because they cant be arsed to walk 20m to a toilet block with no queue.
t looking block next to the entrance as there is more room and usually near no queue. Although it did flood on a couple of occasions so I just waited 20mins and came back to find it nice and clean.In regards to the males going into the Ladies, I was in queue to go to the mens when a cleaning lady told me to go to the ladies as there was nobody in there...
What did my head in was people pissing against trees and barriers because they cant be arsed to walk 20m to a toilet block with no queue.
I don't camp at the circuit to avoid having to use awful facilities and share them with SOME who have no concept of hygiene.
The toilets at the circuit have got much better, but they still end up stinking and messy. That old block behind the stands is a joke. The general access has got much better also.
The toilets in the ACO stand were spotless throughout. Never wasn't a 'clean' smell.
Food pretty limited, but you kind of expect that for the number of people. The 'restaurants' in the village are just awful for the money charged. There can always be more stalls and more choice. Quality also could improve.
I have thought one year of getting a nearby pizza company or other takeaway type to deliver to the gates and then just go back to the grandstand with it. Everyone wondering where the hell I got hold of it!
The toilets at the circuit have got much better, but they still end up stinking and messy. That old block behind the stands is a joke. The general access has got much better also.
The toilets in the ACO stand were spotless throughout. Never wasn't a 'clean' smell.
Food pretty limited, but you kind of expect that for the number of people. The 'restaurants' in the village are just awful for the money charged. There can always be more stalls and more choice. Quality also could improve.
I have thought one year of getting a nearby pizza company or other takeaway type to deliver to the gates and then just go back to the grandstand with it. Everyone wondering where the hell I got hold of it!
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