Info please - buying tickets independently and Restaurant

[wsn03]

rlw said:

You might get a room here.

domainedelacourbe.com

we've stayed there three times and it a thirty minute drive to the circuit.

I rang them and they asked me to send an email...just done it. Fingers crossed

[wsn03]

wsn03 said:

rlw said:

You might get a room here.

domainedelacourbe.com

we've stayed there three times and it a thirty minute drive to the circuit.

I rang them and they asked me to send an email...just done it. Fingers crossed

They just mailed me, i can book from mid July. Thanks once again

[Du1point8]

The Panorama restaurant has a roof terrace and bar.

This is an awesome place, whilst expensive, we decided to watch the start from there and indeed a lot of the race from the roof terrace.

We ended up going there for 2 days and ended up being on first name terms with the barmaids with our booze consumption.

Let me dig out some pics.

Root top:


(will dig out more once wifi working properly)

Edited by Du1point8 on Sunday 2nd July 13:03

[wsn03]

Du1point8 said:

The Panorama restaurant has a roof terrace and bar.

This is an awesome place, whilst expensive, we decided to watch the start from there and indeed a lot of the race from the roof terrace.

We ended up going there for 2 days and ended up being on first name terms with the barmaids with our booze consumption.

Let me dig out some pics.

Root top:


(will dig out more once wifi working properly)

Edited by Du1point8 on Sunday 2nd July 13:03

That does look really good. Thanks for posting. Did you have to eat there to use the bar? Id definitely like to use it, but probably not for food. Did you eat there? Was the food good?

[sahajesh]

wsn03 said:

That does look really good. Thanks for posting. Did you have to eat there to use the bar? Id definitely like to use it, but probably not for food. Did you eat there? Was the food good?

Bar is free to enter and well worth it.

[Du1point8]

wsn03 said:

Du1point8 said:

The Panorama restaurant has a roof terrace and bar.

This is an awesome place, whilst expensive, we decided to watch the start from there and indeed a lot of the race from the roof terrace.

We ended up going there for 2 days and ended up being on first name terms with the barmaids with our booze consumption.

Let me dig out some pics.

Root top:


(will dig out more once wifi working properly)

Edited by Du1point8 on Sunday 2nd July 13:03

That does look really good. Thanks for posting. Did you have to eat there to use the bar? Id definitely like to use it, but probably not for food. Did you eat there? Was the food good?

Errr.... Their food got a bit cold so not sure if it was great or mediocre... we worked out at 50 Euros a head it was cheaper to get a meal there and then disappear to watch the start of the race on the balcony for a few minutes, then it was to get a grandstand ticket.

Finished off the cold food and annoyed the staff in doing so... Then found out the roof terrace was open (or should I say we found it had a roof terrace), so grabbed several hundred Euros of wine and disappeared up there all day until being kicked out at closing time.

Our bill was something like 1000 Euros or so a day to sit on the roof terrace and have clean toilets, food, etc whenever we wanted... Not quite in the spirit of Le Mans, but we (8 of us) were content and decidedly drunk most of the time we were there.

If there and you can get away with doing what we did, I would do it... On several occasions, the bouncers were chasing us round, but as there are 4 different routes to the terrace, we never got caught and in the end, they gave up as we didn't cause any harm to anyone except our wallets. We also joined the RAC club that was up there one day too... they invited us to join in once they saw us there for X hours straight enjoying the race.

On that trip, the roof terrace made the Le Mans special, getting to sit in the delta car and getting pictures of friends on the podium... that made it a memorible trip... (shortly after getting the photo on the podium, security found us and were not happy).

[WhyTwo]

The Leaper said:

Most unlikely you will be able to find anywhere to park up.

R.

Maybe by the main entrance but not away from there.

On Sunday we park in the public car park by Tetre Rouge (we drink too much on Saturday to drive so get cabs in and out but it's never full when we get dropped off there on Saturday). It's a 30 second walk from the tram stop there and 2 minutes from the Tetre Rouge entrance. If you have pre-purchased tickets just jump the queue to the front and sail straight in. Cost €4 or €5 for parking. Always plenty of available spaces

[wsn03]

sahajesh said:

wsn03 said:

That does look really good. Thanks for posting. Did you have to eat there to use the bar? Id definitely like to use it, but probably not for food. Did you eat there? Was the food good?

Bar is free to enter and well worth it.

Thanks for the heads up, I think we'll be using it but probably eating in there anyway.

Edited by wsn03 on Monday 3rd July 15:27

[wsn03]

Du1point8 said:

Errr.... Their food got a bit cold so not sure if it was great or mediocre... we worked out at 50 Euros a head it was cheaper to get a meal there and then disappear to watch the start of the race on the balcony for a few minutes, then it was to get a grandstand ticket.

Finished off the cold food and annoyed the staff in doing so... Then found out the roof terrace was open (or should I say we found it had a roof terrace), so grabbed several hundred Euros of wine and disappeared up there all day until being kicked out at closing time.

Our bill was something like 1000 Euros or so a day to sit on the roof terrace and have clean toilets, food, etc whenever we wanted... Not quite in the spirit of Le Mans, but we (8 of us) were content and decidedly drunk most of the time we were there.

If there and you can get away with doing what we did, I would do it... On several occasions, the bouncers were chasing us round, but as there are 4 different routes to the terrace, we never got caught and in the end, they gave up as we didn't cause any harm to anyone except our wallets. We also joined the RAC club that was up there one day too... they invited us to join in once they saw us there for X hours straight enjoying the race.

On that trip, the roof terrace made the Le Mans special, getting to sit in the delta car and getting pictures of friends on the podium... that made it a memorible trip... (shortly after getting the photo on the podium, security found us and were not happy).

Thanks for the detailed reply. I'm really liking the look of this place, especially if there is a roof terrace. With a grandstand you get pretty uncomfortable quite quickly. I like being able to move around. This is only to get a flavour of the event, she's not going to be interested in what's going on particularly.

I'm thinking lunch at about 1.00pm (better than a burger stand) followed by going on the balcony for the start until about 4pm.
After that maybe head to the ACO place slightly further up for an hour.
Hour walking around all that corporate stuff, maybe more, let her browse the for sale stuff. Then slowly head back peeking a glance at the interesting spots around the Dunlop Bridge, all the way down to Tetre Rouge. Then 10 minute drive for dinner at that restaurant (I always forget its name but go there every time) on the Mulsanne straight for around 9ish.

All checks out fine. It's just to get a flavour of the whole thing, and that ticks all the boxes.

Sunday will be that hotel on the Mulsanne straight (Arbour I think, again forgot its name) for a lazy couple of hours to see the end of the race, then the quiet country roads out and home.

[wsn03]

WhyTwo said:

The Leaper said:

Most unlikely you will be able to find anywhere to park up.

R.

Maybe by the main entrance but not away from there.

On Sunday we park in the public car park by Tetre Rouge (we drink too much on Saturday to drive so get cabs in and out but it's never full when we get dropped off there on Saturday). It's a 30 second walk from the tram stop there and 2 minutes from the Tetre Rouge entrance. If you have pre-purchased tickets just jump the queue to the front and sail straight in. Cost €4 or €5 for parking. Always plenty of available spaces

More useful advice, thank you. This would be perfect. I want to enter and exit from Tetre Rouge because I want to finish off in the evening by showing her a bit of the race from Tetre Rouge corner. It's also the place from where I take the back roads to the restaurant on Mulsanne straight.

Edited by wsn03 on Monday 3rd July 15:50

[WhyTwo]

wsn03 said:

More useful advice, thank you. This would be perfect. I want to enter and exit from Tetre Rouge because I want to finish off in the evening by showing her a bit of the race from Tetre Rouge corner. It's also the place from where I take the back roads to the restaurant on Mulsanne straight.

Edited by wsn03 on Monday 3rd July 15:50

In that case, if you're stood on the platform at the tram stop with the circuit behind you, you would take the right turn just across the tram lines as you head away from the circuit (1st exit off the roundabout and bear right rather than following along the tram lines). As I say it's a 30 second walk from there to the car park entrance which is on your right

[wsn03]

WhyTwo said:

wsn03 said:

More useful advice, thank you. This would be perfect. I want to enter and exit from Tetre Rouge because I want to finish off in the evening by showing her a bit of the race from Tetre Rouge corner. It's also the place from where I take the back roads to the restaurant on Mulsanne straight.

Edited by wsn03 on Monday 3rd July 15:50

In that case, if you're stood on the platform at the tram stop with the circuit behind you, you would take the right turn just across the tram lines as you head away from the circuit (1st exit off the roundabout and bear right rather than following along the tram lines). As I say it's a 30 second walk from there to the car park entrance which is on your right

If I've understood you correctly that's Parking Relais : Antarès - Setram.
Also very near MM Arena which I used this year in the evening of the race, also a good location.
Thanks

[Du1point8]

If you are really lucky one of the pits might be open after the race... perfect excuse to go and chat the pit crews.



However, if you do decide to keep on wandering up and then go re-enact the winners stand:



Guarantee the security team finds out and you will be kicked off the race circuit... was such a shame we were so close to the camp site and had to walk the long way round after being told off.

We were not looking for any souvenirs honest!!

[wsn03]

Du1point8 said:

If you are really lucky one of the pits might be open after the race... perfect excuse to go and chat the pit crews.



However, if you do decide to keep on wandering up and then go re-enact the winners stand:



Guarantee the security team finds out and you will be kicked off the race circuit... was such a shame we were so close to the camp site and had to walk the long way round after being told off.

We were not looking for any souvenirs honest!!

Brilliant, how cool is that! You did well getting on the podium, deserved tho after 24 hrs drinking

[Chrisgr31]

On Expo campsite one of the travel companies had some up some tepees, they looked quite luxurious might be worth a look if you cant find a hotel

[wsn03]

Chrisgr31 said:

On Expo campsite one of the travel companies had some up some tepees, they looked quite luxurious might be worth a look if you cant find a hotel

That's a good suggestion thanks. The missus is a light sleeper, anywhere within a couple of miles of the track is a no-go. I'd be better off travelling far out with a hotel than staying anywhere near the noise.

I'm the complete opposite. I can sleep through anything, and normally collapse in a heap about 5am while listening to Radio Le Mans whilst holding my Whisky bottle.

This posh way of doing it is going to be a very odd experience for me, happiest sitting on dusty banks, drunk, sleeping in tents etc.

[Tyre Smoke]

Since you've been twice already, and it's 12 months away, you seem to be going into an awful lot of detail to take your wife who seems to have zero interest to a motor race.

Have you actually asked her if she wants to do any of this? It sounds like you are trying too hard to make her 'get' Le Mans.

Perhaps she would rather spend the day actually shopping in Le Mans? There is sweet FA to buy at the circuit unless you want overpriced and questionable quality replica race clothing. Unless she's a total petrol head she's going to be bored rigid inside ten minutes.

Imagine your wife planning some epic shopping expedition followed by a Spa treatment for you?

[wsn03]

Tyre Smoke said:

Since you've been twice already, and it's 12 months away, you seem to be going into an awful lot of detail to take your wife who seems to have zero interest to a motor race.

Have you actually asked her if she wants to do any of this? It sounds like you are trying too hard to make her 'get' Le Mans.

Perhaps she would rather spend the day actually shopping in Le Mans? There is sweet FA to buy at the circuit unless you want overpriced and questionable quality replica race clothing. Unless she's a total petrol head she's going to be bored rigid inside ten minutes.

Imagine your wife planning some epic shopping expedition followed by a Spa treatment for you?

I've been 3 times.

Yes we have discussed it, yes she does want to do it, otherwise I wouldn't be going to the trouble. I like going to things with my mates and on my own. My missus likes making sure we're not leading separate lives all the time.


Because we actually like spending time together we make sure that we do include the other person in our thing once in a while, and we do it in a way that the other person will actually enjoy. Both Spas and all 3 shopping trips were actually enjoyable, coming from a bloke who despises the idea of both.

The wife has been to the TT races, the Manx Grand Prix and the NW200. She wants to see Le Mans. Her idea of seeing it is a taster of the event compared to mine of sitting in a hedge with a radio for the full 24 hrs.

She got a big kick out of the other events, no reason she won't like this one. She gets some time with me seeing me in my happy zone, we get to do some quality stuff together at the cost of some pure race indulgence...its a compromise but everyone comes away happy.

The following year I'll go with the lads again and at least she won't feel she was left out. She still talks about seeing John McGuiness on the podium of the Senior TT, I can't believe Le Mans won't be just as impressive in its own way.

I was single for years after my divorce to avoid being with some cranky old crab who despised me doing anything - what a change to be married to someone who not only encourages me to pursue my interests, but occasionally joins in without any prompting.

As for shopping she'll only browse. Besides we're planning a weekend in Paris later that year, she can tour the shops properly then (to be fair she mainly does the sales)

Edited by wsn03 on Wednesday 5th July 12:12

Edited by wsn03 on Wednesday 5th July 12:15

Edited by wsn03 on Wednesday 5th July 12:34

[Tyre Smoke]

She's not getting a taster though is she?

She's getting a fluffed up version. It's not a taster of what you do. The shopping and Spa treatments she took you to were exactly what she was doing anyway. Your version of Le Mans is very different (and arguably cheaper) to what you are planning.

[wsn03]

Tyre Smoke said:

She's not getting a taster though is she?

She's getting a fluffed up version. It's not a taster of what you do. The shopping and Spa treatments she took you to were exactly what she was doing anyway. Your version of Le Mans is very different (and arguably cheaper) to what you are planning.

She's getting a taster of Le Mans. The heart and soul of the event is the same however you choose to do it. And no, she definitely never gives me the full version of her stuff, it would lead to rage as a minimum.

Are you trying to help with advice or looking to shoot down a plan? Im struggling to understand why this is a bad idea that warrants scrutiny. You seemed to have not read that she enjoyed the TT, MGP and NW200, so what's different (besides cars?)