Le Mans 2020 Newbie

[Jim on the hill]

A few general questions as looking to book up for 2020

1. What's the difference between PH Blue Nord and normal Blue Nord?

2. What are the chances of me being able to buy a Blue Nord campsite pitch when they are launched in October?

3. If I have bought a pitch is it for the duration? So I could arrive Wednesday night or Thursday lunch for the same cost?

Finally

4. There seems to be a massive price difference between the packages from 1st Tickets and TD then doing it yourself. Are you getting anything extra that I have missed?

Thanks in advance and see some of you there!

Edited by Jim on the hill on Monday 22 July 21:54

[Jim on the hill]

FredericRobinson said:

3. Yes, you can arrive anytime from the Sunday before at the same cost.
4. Buying for yourself is much cheaper, the difficulty can come in availability of tickets when buying direct from the ACO, some sites are more or less impossible to buy direct. Can't guarantee anything obviously, but if it was me I'd try direct first, then try the agencies or PH if needed.
Any particular reason for going for Blue Nord?

Thanks for the reply, a friend goes most years and he likes Blue Nord. I think he's tried most of them but keeps going back to that one. Any others I should consider? All tips appreciated!

I see Tertre Rouge being mentioned alot but out of our price range I think.

Edited by Jim on the hill on Monday 22 July 21:55

[Jim on the hill]

StevieBee said:

Jim on the hill said:

1. What's the difference between PH Blue Nord and normal Blue Nord?

Same campsite but the PH bit is sectioned off for the PH gang. Not done the PH bit of the site (yet) but seems to host a slightly better class of drinker behind a nice picket fence,.

Jim on the hill said:

2. What are the chances of me being able to buy a Blue Nord campsite pitch when they are launched in October?

Can't think of a time when the place sold out. The first year I went I purchased a pitch about two weeks before.

Jim on the hill said:

3. If I have bought a pitch is it for the duration? So I could arrive Wednesday night or Thursday lunch for the same cost?

Yep. The pitch fee is valid from when the campsites open - for BluNord I think this is the Monday before the race,

Jim on the hill said:

4. There seems to be a massive price difference between the packages from 1st Tickets and TD then doing it yourself. Are you getting anything extra that I have missed?

It's the same if buying a holiday. You can buy the flights, transfers, hotel, etc separately and save some dosh or buy everything as a package via a Tour Operator but pay a bit more. A Tour Operator offers protection if one of the components of the trip goes wrong that effects the other - up to and including getting all your money back. That's not available if you buy all of the bits yourself. Plus (and I can only speak of TD), they are very helpful, particularly if you're a newbie - takes a lot of the worry out of the equation. Less to think about and more time to sort stickers, route, beer menus, etc...

Enjoy!

Thanks Stevie! Very helpful

[Jim on the hill]

Thanks everyone! Looks like waiting is the best option