Le Mans 26 Advice (for a beginner)
Discussion
First time poster, long time lurker!
Booked to be at LM24 this summer with some mates and it’s the first trip we’ve done. Booked Beausejour, travel out Thursday, return Monday.
I’ve had a look through lots of the LM camping threads (most of which seem about 10-15 years old and paint a picture of carnage) and overall, it looks promising for a good trip.
Does anyone have any key, sentient advice from experience of trips more recently with camping, any key things to be aware of, anything well worth taking etc. or anything we’ve likely forgotten/overlooked etc?
I’m aware of Strasse’s rather excellent “le-mans-guide” which seems to hold some great details (even if it looks spectacularly early 00s) and I know of Beer Mountain’s guides (though sadly very outdated). Any other guides are welcomed!
Cheers!
Booked to be at LM24 this summer with some mates and it’s the first trip we’ve done. Booked Beausejour, travel out Thursday, return Monday.
I’ve had a look through lots of the LM camping threads (most of which seem about 10-15 years old and paint a picture of carnage) and overall, it looks promising for a good trip.
Does anyone have any key, sentient advice from experience of trips more recently with camping, any key things to be aware of, anything well worth taking etc. or anything we’ve likely forgotten/overlooked etc?
I’m aware of Strasse’s rather excellent “le-mans-guide” which seems to hold some great details (even if it looks spectacularly early 00s) and I know of Beer Mountain’s guides (though sadly very outdated). Any other guides are welcomed!
Cheers!
guy_proc said:
First time poster, long time lurker!
Booked to be at LM24 this summer with some mates and it s the first trip we ve done. Booked Beausejour, travel out Thursday, return Monday.
I ve had a look through lots of the LM camping threads (most of which seem about 10-15 years old and paint a picture of carnage) and overall, it looks promising for a good trip.
Does anyone have any key, sentient advice from experience of trips more recently with camping, any key things to be aware of, anything well worth taking etc. or anything we ve likely forgotten/overlooked etc?
I m aware of Strasse s rather excellent le-mans-guide which seems to hold some great details (even if it looks spectacularly early 00s) and I know of Beer Mountain s guides (though sadly very outdated). Any other guides are welcomed!
Cheers!
In general the whole experience is much more civilised than 15-20 years ago, whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on your point of view!Booked to be at LM24 this summer with some mates and it s the first trip we ve done. Booked Beausejour, travel out Thursday, return Monday.
I ve had a look through lots of the LM camping threads (most of which seem about 10-15 years old and paint a picture of carnage) and overall, it looks promising for a good trip.
Does anyone have any key, sentient advice from experience of trips more recently with camping, any key things to be aware of, anything well worth taking etc. or anything we ve likely forgotten/overlooked etc?
I m aware of Strasse s rather excellent le-mans-guide which seems to hold some great details (even if it looks spectacularly early 00s) and I know of Beer Mountain s guides (though sadly very outdated). Any other guides are welcomed!
Cheers!
In my view things went from boisterous and great fun to a bit loutish to boring and too dull over that time, but it all depends on personal experience
guy_proc said:
First time poster, long time lurker!
Booked to be at LM24 this summer with some mates and it s the first trip we ve done. Booked Beausejour, travel out Thursday, return Monday.
I ve had a look through lots of the LM camping threads (most of which seem about 10-15 years old and paint a picture of carnage) and overall, it looks promising for a good trip.
Does anyone have any key, sentient advice from experience of trips more recently with camping, any key things to be aware of, anything well worth taking etc. or anything we ve likely forgotten/overlooked etc?
I m aware of Strasse s rather excellent le-mans-guide which seems to hold some great details (even if it looks spectacularly early 00s) and I know of Beer Mountain s guides (though sadly very outdated). Any other guides are welcomed!
Cheers!
Take a good quality cool box, throwaway BBQ's, a portable gas stove and kettle if you want tea or coffee, a portable table etc. Believe it or not I get all this plus a large tent, sleeping bags and beer in a 911 ;-)Booked to be at LM24 this summer with some mates and it s the first trip we ve done. Booked Beausejour, travel out Thursday, return Monday.
I ve had a look through lots of the LM camping threads (most of which seem about 10-15 years old and paint a picture of carnage) and overall, it looks promising for a good trip.
Does anyone have any key, sentient advice from experience of trips more recently with camping, any key things to be aware of, anything well worth taking etc. or anything we ve likely forgotten/overlooked etc?
I m aware of Strasse s rather excellent le-mans-guide which seems to hold some great details (even if it looks spectacularly early 00s) and I know of Beer Mountain s guides (though sadly very outdated). Any other guides are welcomed!
Cheers!
Walk up to the bars at Arnarge on Mad Friday, also bring bikes if you have room, or you can hire them at the fan zone at BJ
As mentioned above a radio with decent earphones - the channel is very informative. Other items are a good camping chair, powepack for your phone and a pack away pocket groundsheet for flexibility if you don’t take your chair, a torch and a microfibre towel so it dries quickly and takes up less space.
Welcome to Le Mans 2026, you’re going to have a great time, hoping this will be the start of many trips to the circuit.
So like many of us your camping at Beausejour this year, on arrival at the site expect delays, the friendly staff will want to see your campsite tickets, one per car and also a general entrance for each person. They will also search your car for bottles, normally it’s just a look in your boot, bottles can easily be hidden under your gear, the staff get pretty bored after the first couple of hundred cars.Generally you will be directed to a camping pitch, wait for a few minutes till the guides gone and then decided if you want to remain at that pitch or as an alternative drive on through the campsite, it’s huge and find your own spot. It’s pretty decent in the wooded area nearer to Porsche curves, but much further from toilets and showers.
Once sorted consider marking out your little bit of England with poles and hazard tape, everyone seems to do it.
Tents are up and kettles on, as discussed now is the time to get the radio out and tune into John Hindhaugh at Radio Le Mans, his commentary is going to make your weekend.
Suitably refreshed now’s the time to see some racing, the nearest point is at the end of the campsite at Porsche curves. But like the rest of us you’re going to want to go up to where it’s all happening near the grandstands and fan zone areas near the start & finish line.
To get around the circuit use the free buses, beats walking. There is a shuttle bus that drives round the campsite and takes to the campsite entrance. From there other bus service will take you to the pits or out to Arnage and Mulsanne all free.
As others have said don’t try to do to much, a good place to be is down on the terraces near the start line, get there early. Bring your camping chair and some snacks and Let Radio Le Mans take your through the start. It’s Amazing.
After grabbing a couple of hours sleep, if possible ,you’re going to wake up the next day and suddenly realise there’s still another 12hrs till the finish,unbelievable.
But like all good thinking’s it will come to the nail bighting grand finally and finish.
At the end of the race the campsite exits are closed for a couple of hours to reduce congestion so allow for this when driving home.
Have a great time….. what’s the dates for 2027
So like many of us your camping at Beausejour this year, on arrival at the site expect delays, the friendly staff will want to see your campsite tickets, one per car and also a general entrance for each person. They will also search your car for bottles, normally it’s just a look in your boot, bottles can easily be hidden under your gear, the staff get pretty bored after the first couple of hundred cars.Generally you will be directed to a camping pitch, wait for a few minutes till the guides gone and then decided if you want to remain at that pitch or as an alternative drive on through the campsite, it’s huge and find your own spot. It’s pretty decent in the wooded area nearer to Porsche curves, but much further from toilets and showers.
Once sorted consider marking out your little bit of England with poles and hazard tape, everyone seems to do it.
Tents are up and kettles on, as discussed now is the time to get the radio out and tune into John Hindhaugh at Radio Le Mans, his commentary is going to make your weekend.
Suitably refreshed now’s the time to see some racing, the nearest point is at the end of the campsite at Porsche curves. But like the rest of us you’re going to want to go up to where it’s all happening near the grandstands and fan zone areas near the start & finish line.
To get around the circuit use the free buses, beats walking. There is a shuttle bus that drives round the campsite and takes to the campsite entrance. From there other bus service will take you to the pits or out to Arnage and Mulsanne all free.
As others have said don’t try to do to much, a good place to be is down on the terraces near the start line, get there early. Bring your camping chair and some snacks and Let Radio Le Mans take your through the start. It’s Amazing.
After grabbing a couple of hours sleep, if possible ,you’re going to wake up the next day and suddenly realise there’s still another 12hrs till the finish,unbelievable.
But like all good thinking’s it will come to the nail bighting grand finally and finish.
At the end of the race the campsite exits are closed for a couple of hours to reduce congestion so allow for this when driving home.
Have a great time….. what’s the dates for 2027
You don't really need cash. I haven't spent any in the last few years there, as everywhere takes card. Radio is a must for Radio Le Mans and John Hindhaugh. Large wet wipes are good if you can't be bothered to queue for the showers one day. I take a small battery powered shaver to save queuing for the sinks. We always call into the Carrefour in the centre on the way in, to get any last minute bits and pieces and bread and pastries of course. Other than that, have fun and don't eat the red sausages !
Kev_Mk3 said:
DON'T leave anything of value anywhere outside / tents. They can go missing easy and also sunday night you'll see rif raff hunting round as no security.
Take a pocket radio its key & enjoy.
We leave a fridge and the cooker outside and don't normally have a problem. We have seen people leave TV's and laptops out on the table when they have left for the circuit, but I wouldn't recommend that. You can normally get an idea of what your neighbours are like and often people will look out for one another. We normally leave after the race, but can already see dubious types being let in and scouting for anything worth having.Take a pocket radio its key & enjoy.
Red9zero said:
Kev_Mk3 said:
DON'T leave anything of value anywhere outside / tents. They can go missing easy and also sunday night you'll see rif raff hunting round as no security.
We leave a fridge and the cooker outside and don't normally have a problem. We have seen people leave TV's and laptops out on the table when they have left for the circuit, but I wouldn't recommend that. You can normally get an idea of what your neighbours are like and often people will look out for one another. We normally leave after the race, but can already see dubious types being let in and scouting for anything worth having.If you just keep in mind you're camping in a public space, alongside 100,000 other people and where any one from 300,000 random people can walk past your tent and behave accordingly you'll almost certainly be fine. I've been going for over 20 years and the only issue I think we've had was a full box of beeds we'd left outside as a gazebo anchor point before heading into town on the Friday. When we got back and discovered it was gone we all agreed we'd just been dumb and might as well have put a "Take me" sign on them. None of the beer or anything else that was zipped inside tents had been touched, just the opportunist, easy to lift win passing without attracting attention box of beer.
I've also stayed Sunday nights and have only ever had polite interactions with the local 'recyclers', to the point of them coming over and asking if it was OK to take stuff 5 empty pitches away from our tents (though I'm not sure I'd ever leave my camp completely unattended on the Sunday night). Much more of an issue are dick fellow campers who see Sunday night as a reason to down all remaining beers then use the free space to build a bonfire/rag their cars to death - but again while it can happen you'd actually be very unlucky to be 'too close' to any of that behaviour.
agree with all above.
- radio (note FM only for radiolemans 91.2, not dab or web)
- sunscreen
- waterproof
- phone charger
the site has changed along with the atmosphere over the last 20 years. the ACO have spent a bucket of cash adding fan zones, infrastructure (big screens, etc.) and sorting the site (the 'dustbowl' north of dunlop bridge will not be missed!).
costs have gone up in line ... expect this year we'll be asked for €10 per 'pint'. the loos are better, the food is better ... you are coming in when the whole event has become a little more sophisticated which per above some like and some don't. but it's still AWESOME!
you will be back so don't try to do everything. walk around to different bits of circuit. you are in beausejour so you can view easily from porsche curves and main village. arnage and mulsanne are worth a visit but a treck.
used to be able to rock up and pay on the gate, now event sells out months ahead and there's 300k peeps on site so no data reception near the track.
and take it easy on the drive there and back. not a race track. have an amazing time!!
- radio (note FM only for radiolemans 91.2, not dab or web)
- sunscreen
- waterproof
- phone charger
the site has changed along with the atmosphere over the last 20 years. the ACO have spent a bucket of cash adding fan zones, infrastructure (big screens, etc.) and sorting the site (the 'dustbowl' north of dunlop bridge will not be missed!).
costs have gone up in line ... expect this year we'll be asked for €10 per 'pint'. the loos are better, the food is better ... you are coming in when the whole event has become a little more sophisticated which per above some like and some don't. but it's still AWESOME!
you will be back so don't try to do everything. walk around to different bits of circuit. you are in beausejour so you can view easily from porsche curves and main village. arnage and mulsanne are worth a visit but a treck.
used to be able to rock up and pay on the gate, now event sells out months ahead and there's 300k peeps on site so no data reception near the track.
and take it easy on the drive there and back. not a race track. have an amazing time!!
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