Getting to Le Mans by train

Getting to Le Mans by train

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Ranger 6

Original Poster:

7,041 posts

248 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
What's the experience from those who have done this?

Was it extremely tedious as the distance would suggest?
Was it cost effective vs. taking a car?

We're looking at a 2018 trip with 4 blokes and the thought of using the train is quite attractive - if nothing else because the drinking would start early wink

For various reasons we'd be staying in the town and using the tram to get to the circuit. Thus, just a few clothes would be the luggage as we wouldn't need tents etc.

Nosynchro

233 posts

146 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
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Not me but one of team has. Good option if you not camping and travelling lighting or mates taking gear. Easier if you are close to St Pancras or Ashford. Around 5 hours IIRC St P to Le Mans via Eurostar and TGV. Have to tube across Paris, Gare du Nord to Montparnasse. Can get 100 ish euro early bird. Cheaper if leave at silly o clock.

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
I mentioned the words "staying in town" and was shot down in flames...only to discover that it would be easier to actually enter the race itself than get somewhere in town to stay!

Presuming you do have town accommodation I took the train, but I did it from Charles De Gaulle. From a cost point of view the flight booked well in advance was far cheaper than Euro Star would have been.

When you get to the airport you simply go downstairs where the trains pull in, couldn’t be easier. Train was really nice, journey was near 2 hours but perfectly pleasant, straight into the centre of Le Mans.

Was one of the best / easiest journeys I’ve done, I would continue to do it of only my friends hadn’t stopped going – they carried my tent etc in their cars.

gt6

1,422 posts

184 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
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As already said, if you have not booked a place to stay yet you will find it difficult and expensive, if you want to drink then drive down, camp and then drive back on monday, It will be considerably cheaper, much easier and if you do drink to much you only have to move from the camping chair to your tent, so much easier than finding your hotel

Ranger 6

Original Poster:

7,041 posts

248 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
We're just waiting for confirmation of the booking in town so it's still just an idea at this point. If not then I think we will be camping, which will obviously make the question redundant.

I like to look at options when planning.

There are 3 coming from Yorkshire and one from Berkshire so actually flying could be a good idea for the northerners.

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
Ranger 6 said:
We're just waiting for confirmation of the booking in town so it's still just an idea at this point. If not then I think we will be camping, which will obviously make the question redundant.

I like to look at options when planning.

There are 3 coming from Yorkshire and one from Berkshire so actually flying could be a good idea for the northerners.
If you can get camping at Tetre Rouge the train still works...one big ruck sack each with your tent and bag connected on the outside. Ok you'll look like those annoying students who bum around the world, and you won't be able to bring much stuff with you, but it still works.

The Tram stops right by Tetre Rouge.

Best option is get someone to drive with all the stuff, then fly and meet them assuming you can find someone who is prepared to do that.

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
If you don't have loads of kit to lug around it's a really quick and efficient way to do it. Direct Eurostar from London to Paris, across Paris on the metro and then TGV to Le Mans.

One of our guys took this route one year and leaving the office at lunchtime Friday saw him joining us at the drivers parade before we were too drunk. Heading back to the station on the tram after the race wasn't too much of a pain either and gave the option of grabbing some dinner in Paris before the Eurostar home.

leyorkie

1,634 posts

175 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
Fly Stanstead to Tours, shuttle bus into town local train up to Le Mans.
Miss out Paris unless you really want to be there.

It's not too far by taxi or mini bus if you are a group 45 mins drive.

OvalOwl

924 posts

130 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
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I looked at this a couple of years ago. I would have been driving, but was intending to take Mrs Oval to do touristy things in The Loire Valley for a week beforehand and send her back on the train whilst my brother came out to watch the race with me. It was looking reasonably cost effective and I think there was a routing option to change at Lille Europe rather than crossing Paris on the metro.

Just done a quick check again on https://uk.voyages-sncf.com (not Le Mans 24h weekend, too early to book that) and the fares are from 25 to 80 GBP one way from Lille to Le Mans and it takes about 2h40.

As others have said if you are camping the tricky bit is carrying the tent to the site.

Ranger 6

Original Poster:

7,041 posts

248 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for all the useful info - if we do camp then we'll drive, but so far the investigations are showing Jet2 from LBA and then train is about £130 each.

The Lille change from the Eurostar is next.

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
Ranger 6 said:
Thanks for all the useful info - if we do camp then we'll drive, but so far the investigations are showing Jet2 from LBA and then train is about £130 each.

The Lille change from the Eurostar is next.
Is that to Charles De Gaulle?

One thing, have you been to Le Mans before? Reason I ask is if you haven't then a road trip is a key part of the experience, you totally miss it going by plane/train

CooperD

2,850 posts

176 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
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I am going to Le Mans by train later this month. I am getting the Eurostar to Lille, then changing on to the TGV there. It's very easy to change at Lille. You just go up from the Eurostar platform then go down to the TGV platform. Saves any journey on the Metro which you would have to do if you went via Paris. My Eurostar leaves St Pancras at 1504. Gets into Lille at 1726 (Local Time). My train to Le Mans leaves at 1752 and I should arrive in Le Mans about 2030. I am travelling on a Sunday though so not sure about times during the week but there is an excellent site on European train travel called www.seat61.com It has links to all the timetables and booking details.

surveyor

17,767 posts

183 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
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I did Le Mans by train last year (not on race weekend) after a car breakdown.

Flew in /out of Charles de Gaulle. Picked up a TGV direct to Le Mans from the airport.

It was actually rather easy.

Ranger 6

Original Poster:

7,041 posts

248 months

Tuesday 5th September 2017
quotequote all
Thanks to OvalOwl and CooperD for the train site suggestions - much cheaper then what I'd found smile

wsn03 said:
...a road trip is a key part of the experience, you totally miss it going by plane/train
We've had 25 years of motorsport road trips (both participation and spectating) together, I'm fully aware of what could be missed, mainly the speeding tickets..... wink

lowdrag

12,868 posts

212 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned the easier train route which is London to Lille, change platforms and then direct to Le Man's. Saves the hassle of the Gare du Nord to Montparnasse. As regards accommodation you only have to ring the Bureau de Tourism's (they speak good English) and they will sort you out with B&B.

Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 6th September 15:10

Ranger 6

Original Poster:

7,041 posts

248 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
Mentioned by CooperD above - thanks for the B&B suggestion. If our booking falls through we'll use that.

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
Ranger 6 said:
We've had 25 years of motorsport road trips (both participation and spectating) together, I'm fully aware of what could be missed, mainly the speeding tickets..... wink
Understood. I don't go to car races aside from Spa WEC, I follow bike racing. ]
However, the whole stickered up mass migration to Le Mans is an experience I can't imagine happens anywhere else - its really quite something to see. Probably one of the reasons I'm happy to drive down myself, I even sticker up my own car now (having scoffed at the idea in the past :-) ).

leyorkie

1,634 posts

175 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
wsn03 said:
Ranger 6 said:
We've had 25 years of motorsport road trips (both participation and spectating) together, I'm fully aware of what could be missed, mainly the speeding tickets..... wink
Understood. I don't go to car races aside from Spa WEC, I follow bike racing. ]
However, the whole stickered up mass migration to Le Mans is an experience I can't imagine happens anywhere else - its really quite something to see. Probably one of the reasons I'm happy to drive down myself, I even sticker up my own car now (having scoffed at the idea in the past :-) ).
But what about the spectacle of the GP Moto or the 24 Heures Moto.
Wheelies, donuts and camp fires alcohol ban in Le Mans etc.
Sunday afternoon locals sitting at the roadside watching the bikes passing in their hundreds nobody goes by car.
See you there!

DiscoColin

3,328 posts

213 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
wsn03 said:
I mentioned the words "staying in town" and was shot down in flames...only to discover that it would be easier to actually enter the race itself than get somewhere in town to stay!
Not really - if you could afford the tyre bill alone to enter the race then as for staying there (well - within 20 minutes or so) you need only ask : how many bedrooms would you like in your castle? Compared to racing, French property is not spendy. Especially if you live in South East England as a basis for comparison... ;-)

[FWIW - I did my first LeMans last year. Chunnel and a tent worked just fine, so if you can coax someone into being the driver : why complicate things with anything else?]

Edited by DiscoColin on Wednesday 6th September 18:38

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Thursday 7th September 2017
quotequote all
leyorkie said:
wsn03 said:
Ranger 6 said:
We've had 25 years of motorsport road trips (both participation and spectating) together, I'm fully aware of what could be missed, mainly the speeding tickets..... wink
Understood. I don't go to car races aside from Spa WEC, I follow bike racing. ]
However, the whole stickered up mass migration to Le Mans is an experience I can't imagine happens anywhere else - its really quite something to see. Probably one of the reasons I'm happy to drive down myself, I even sticker up my own car now (having scoffed at the idea in the past :-) ).
But what about the spectacle of the GP Moto or the 24 Heures Moto.
Wheelies, donuts and camp fires alcohol ban in Le Mans etc.
Sunday afternoon locals sitting at the roadside watching the bikes passing in their hundreds nobody goes by car.
See you there!
I've been wondering about this for a long time.
I go regularly to the TT and MGP (I'm from the Isle of Man), the NW200 occasionally, and of most relevance to the above is Assen motogp.

For racing the first 2 do it. For nuts atmosphere Assen hits the mark.

I'm totally smitten with the Le Mans 24hrs (and I don't do car racing), I can't imagine either of the bike races being quite the same. Does the 24 Heures Moto beat Assen for atmosphere? I watch it at times and it does seem pretty big, is it on that Assen / Le Mans 24 hrs car race scale? Worth the trip?

Assen draws some 300,000 people to the area, and the circuit is always packed, its the biggest motogp meeting outside of Spain and Italy as far as I'm aware, I think only one of the Spanish rounds draws more people.