Newbie Questions
Discussion
Hi All,
First Le Mans for me this year... driving down from calais on the autoroutes. Havent seen my ticket pack yet (if it has arrived) as im not home from uni for a few weeks, so I dont know if this is covered in there, but basically
How easy is it to navigate into the campsites etc when we arrive at the circuit? Should arrive early evening Monday 9th and am staying in Houx. Googling and google maps are somewhat terrifying me with the maze of roads and lack of guides!
Is the tram free? If not, how much is it?
Any other tips welcome too! Im keeping an eye on the other threads about what to do etc
Cheers all
First Le Mans for me this year... driving down from calais on the autoroutes. Havent seen my ticket pack yet (if it has arrived) as im not home from uni for a few weeks, so I dont know if this is covered in there, but basically
How easy is it to navigate into the campsites etc when we arrive at the circuit? Should arrive early evening Monday 9th and am staying in Houx. Googling and google maps are somewhat terrifying me with the maze of roads and lack of guides!
Is the tram free? If not, how much is it?
Any other tips welcome too! Im keeping an eye on the other threads about what to do etc
Cheers all
If your using a Sat Nav the road name you need for camping Houx is Chemin aux Boeufs 72100 Le mans, France.
I guess you will be coming into Le mans from the north, there is a ring road around Le mans just like the North and South circular in London, you will also see signs Up for Parking Rouge, Parking Blue, etc Parking rouge would be the General Direction to head in. Parking Blue is next to the Airport on the outside of the circuit (not near your campsite).
The Tram is not free, the French run a Trust system, you can step on and off the tram but you are obliged to have a ticket, there is a ticket dispenser on the tram but I have never used it, normally buy a ticket before I get on near Houx.
I guess you will be coming into Le mans from the north, there is a ring road around Le mans just like the North and South circular in London, you will also see signs Up for Parking Rouge, Parking Blue, etc Parking rouge would be the General Direction to head in. Parking Blue is next to the Airport on the outside of the circuit (not near your campsite).
The Tram is not free, the French run a Trust system, you can step on and off the tram but you are obliged to have a ticket, there is a ticket dispenser on the tram but I have never used it, normally buy a ticket before I get on near Houx.
It is straightforward and getting there will be nicely easier for you on the Monday. Its more tricky later in the week with traffic and road closure because the track is in operation.
You need to be following the green symbols on the special LM24 road signs. Houx is in the area coded green.
Heading westwards on the D323 to the South East corner of Le Mans:
For Houx you turn off at the Mulsanne exit D338, drop down the slip road, go onto roundabout to the right and back under D323 as if heading towards Mulsanne, straight after the bridge under the D323 is a second roundabout, go around to the left and take the d323 roundabout exit as if to rejoin the d323 going back eastwards( ie in the opposite direction to what you have just come)
Then take the first right IMMEDIATELY ie before you rejoin the dual carriageway - which drops you down an incline next to the Tetre Rouge bar and from there turn right and follow your nose. Go to the left at the first roundabout next to the football stadium, straight on at the second (fyi the tram station is here to the left) and then the entrance to Houx (and Houx Annex) is first right turn.
Good luck !! but don't worry - nothing bad happens if you do get lost and all it does it gives you more street knowledge for later in the week - or for next year - or the year after....
You need to be following the green symbols on the special LM24 road signs. Houx is in the area coded green.
Heading westwards on the D323 to the South East corner of Le Mans:
For Houx you turn off at the Mulsanne exit D338, drop down the slip road, go onto roundabout to the right and back under D323 as if heading towards Mulsanne, straight after the bridge under the D323 is a second roundabout, go around to the left and take the d323 roundabout exit as if to rejoin the d323 going back eastwards( ie in the opposite direction to what you have just come)
Then take the first right IMMEDIATELY ie before you rejoin the dual carriageway - which drops you down an incline next to the Tetre Rouge bar and from there turn right and follow your nose. Go to the left at the first roundabout next to the football stadium, straight on at the second (fyi the tram station is here to the left) and then the entrance to Houx (and Houx Annex) is first right turn.
Good luck !! but don't worry - nothing bad happens if you do get lost and all it does it gives you more street knowledge for later in the week - or for next year - or the year after....
As said before, follow the special signs put up for LM24 and you'll be OK.
If you're really worried you can get a Le Mans street map here.
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/
I've never been there without it.
R.
If you're really worried you can get a Le Mans street map here.
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/
I've never been there without it.
R.
OvalOwl said:
Remember Monday 9th is a Public Holiday in France and the supermarches will be shut.
and manned petrol stations in my experience and we have had problems using card a few times too late at night so always good to have some cash and ask a froggie to pay for the fuel in exchange for cash.we were once caught out at 10pm and knocked on a womans door to ask her to help as we had less than a gallon left!! we gave her an extra 10euros and she wouldn't take it, in the end we gave her a quick blast around the block in a TVR 3000m.
so in all the french can be helpful occasionally
Matt
ETA she was rather tidy too
download the club arnage guide. ( previous years guides are here )
http://www.clubarnage.com/caguide/download.html
They are working on the 2014 version.
Remember to make a donation to their charity.
http://www.clubarnage.com/caguide/download.html
They are working on the 2014 version.
Remember to make a donation to their charity.
Were also on houx this year, should be arriving late afternoon on the Sunday (hopefully in time to stock up on the beers and nibbles).
As your gonna be camping for the week a few trips to the Super U (my groups preferred choice) will be in order, so you'll probably want these directions.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/47.9394265,0.182...
As your gonna be camping for the week a few trips to the Super U (my groups preferred choice) will be in order, so you'll probably want these directions.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/47.9394265,0.182...
Purely a response about the Tram. If you park at one of the Park & Ride sites, you can park your car all day for I think less than 5 Euros, and that give you up to 4 tram tickets for your passengers for travel on the tram all day. Amazing value. Have a look at www.setram.fr
Certainly available at the University on the West side just off the ring road.
Certainly available at the University on the West side just off the ring road.
FordJunkie said:
Were also on houx this year, should be arriving late afternoon on the Sunday (hopefully in time to stock up on the beers and nibbles).
As your gonna be camping for the week a few trips to the Super U (my groups preferred choice) will be in order, so you'll probably want these directions.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/47.9394265,0.182...
We're Carrefour people - https://goo.gl/maps/FwyLcAs your gonna be camping for the week a few trips to the Super U (my groups preferred choice) will be in order, so you'll probably want these directions.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/47.9394265,0.182...
FordJunkie said:
Were also on houx this year, should be arriving late afternoon on the Sunday (hopefully in time to stock up on the beers and nibbles).
France doesn't have the Sunday opening culture we have here. So shops tend to be shut on Sunday.The Carrefour in Le Mans is open on Sundays only from 0900 till 1300. the Super U at Arnage is closed on Sundays.
One tip, they don't seem to sell salad dressings like we have in the UK, them Frenchies are clever and make their own So if you fancy a salad nip into your local supermarket and take your own bottles with you Or if your really posh get it delivered 
So if you fancy a salad nip into your local supermarket and take your own bottles with you Or if your really posh get it delivered Edited by fatboy18 on Wednesday 7th May 17:49
There's quite a lot of very out of date information here. Yes, Monday 9th is Pentecost so a bank holiday, but many of the supermarkets will be open, but mostly the smaller ones such as Huit-a-Huit, Carrefour Market at Mulsanne, and a small one at Moncé en Belin (forget the name) plus others in town. Not Super U at Arnage nor the big Carrefour next to Mcdonalds though I think.
Credit cards and petrol; many supermarkets have stopped payment facilities on site and have credit card machines only which work for any nationality at all hours of the day and night. It used to be that foreign cards were only accepted when the tills were open but no longer since a few years back. I have three different cards, and one in particular from an English bank is a euro account. The machine first asks me if I want to use it in French or English, then all works as normal.
Credit cards and petrol; many supermarkets have stopped payment facilities on site and have credit card machines only which work for any nationality at all hours of the day and night. It used to be that foreign cards were only accepted when the tills were open but no longer since a few years back. I have three different cards, and one in particular from an English bank is a euro account. The machine first asks me if I want to use it in French or English, then all works as normal.
Harryh87 said:
I am a vodka drinker, is this serious? If so i might find my sunday morning dribbling being blamed on this stuff 
yeah! I've gone out my way the last few years to find a Super U!Here's a picture of a bottle I finished at some point so you know what it looks (or did look) like!
(I'll add it in a bit from computer as mobile wont let me!)
Edited by Printertosh on Thursday 8th May 15:09
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