Best camp site?
Discussion
Every one keeps raving on about Houx (not annex) being the best camp site. I stayed there last year and whilst everything was fine I was not massively impressed – having stayed in Aerodrome and Parking Rouge the previous two years.
From walking round and looking at the maps either Masion Blanche, Karting Nord or Tetre Rouge seem a better option to me – although I’ve never camped in any of them. Tickets also seem to be cheaper and more readily available on ebay and elsewhere.
So should I hold out and pay over the odds for a Houx (not annex) ticket again or plump for one of the aforementioned?
From walking round and looking at the maps either Masion Blanche, Karting Nord or Tetre Rouge seem a better option to me – although I’ve never camped in any of them. Tickets also seem to be cheaper and more readily available on ebay and elsewhere.
So should I hold out and pay over the odds for a Houx (not annex) ticket again or plump for one of the aforementioned?
All depends on your personal definition of the best Le Mans camp site.
Houx
+ reasonably close to village but not so close to the track you can't sleep, water/electric free and everywhere, relatively secure, designated pitches so no space bun-fight.
- Can be a little tame and sensible, can feel a little regimented.
Houx Annex
+ close to village/not too close to track, no electric (unless you bring your own) so more manly/bears shitting in the woods fronter spirited, less controlled/camp where you please (if you arrive early in the week).
- the guy next to you will put his generator as far away from his tent as possible - this will be right next to your tent, anyone can just walk through at any time, turn up Friday evening and your camping in the road/lake.
Chapelle
+ right in the middle of the action next to the village, really good access to the track, not too big.
- You won't sleep on Saturday as your more or less ON the track, you may end up camping in the Bugatti circuit gravel traps (though that could just have been a couple of bikers with a gravel perversion)
etc
Houx
+ reasonably close to village but not so close to the track you can't sleep, water/electric free and everywhere, relatively secure, designated pitches so no space bun-fight.
- Can be a little tame and sensible, can feel a little regimented.
Houx Annex
+ close to village/not too close to track, no electric (unless you bring your own) so more manly/bears shitting in the woods fronter spirited, less controlled/camp where you please (if you arrive early in the week).
- the guy next to you will put his generator as far away from his tent as possible - this will be right next to your tent, anyone can just walk through at any time, turn up Friday evening and your camping in the road/lake.
Chapelle
+ right in the middle of the action next to the village, really good access to the track, not too big.
- You won't sleep on Saturday as your more or less ON the track, you may end up camping in the Bugatti circuit gravel traps (though that could just have been a couple of bikers with a gravel perversion)
etc
We've stayed at Maison Blanche most years since '93 apart from the odd excursion to Bleu - full of nutters, and the Cowsheds - never again.
It used to be great with loads of space but in the last 3 - 4 years its become increasingly rammed making it less enjoyable. Hence the ACO's attempts this year to start to bring order to the chaos. I'd say go for MB if you're aiming to arrive no later than Weds night / early Thurs morning. After that its like a Mad Max Convention. I think this could be the last year of MB free for all camping and that from next year it will be allocated pitches like Houx. The showers / loos are abysmal. We either shower at 3am on the way back from the village - a tricky exercise whilst completely hammered or use a solar shower. No elec hookup and water access requires a Polish plumber...
Karting Nord I think is a bit of a hike but I can't really comment further and Tetre Rouge is very noisy but then again you don't exactly go to Le Mans for peace and quiet
It used to be great with loads of space but in the last 3 - 4 years its become increasingly rammed making it less enjoyable. Hence the ACO's attempts this year to start to bring order to the chaos. I'd say go for MB if you're aiming to arrive no later than Weds night / early Thurs morning. After that its like a Mad Max Convention. I think this could be the last year of MB free for all camping and that from next year it will be allocated pitches like Houx. The showers / loos are abysmal. We either shower at 3am on the way back from the village - a tricky exercise whilst completely hammered or use a solar shower. No elec hookup and water access requires a Polish plumber...
Karting Nord I think is a bit of a hike but I can't really comment further and Tetre Rouge is very noisy but then again you don't exactly go to Le Mans for peace and quiet
Showers are the same all over.
So long as you don't insist on showering at a conventional time (morning or evening) you don't have any problems.
They are more or less empty around lunch time, or 11/12 at night, so shower then or queue and be happy.
4AM Sunday morning before you head out to watch the sun come up is another good time.
So long as you don't insist on showering at a conventional time (morning or evening) you don't have any problems.
They are more or less empty around lunch time, or 11/12 at night, so shower then or queue and be happy.
4AM Sunday morning before you head out to watch the sun come up is another good time.
Edited by //j17 on Thursday 31st May 10:57
cooperlola said:
Maison Blache is positively the worst campsite at LM. Full of rowdy Club Arnagers and Dutch blokes. Avoid it like the plague. I always camp there and I know for a fact it is noisy, filthy and full of really unfriendly people.
I agree, wouldn't touch the place with a bargepole. Those people like it because they don't complain about the showers and the toilets, they don't bother to use them. You can just imagine what the place is like after a week...
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