What to do when not watching the race?

[Jonny TVR]

We are arriving mid morning on Friday and leaving Monday after lunch. Thinking if there are any bands on or recommendations on anything else.

[StevieBee]

Bands kick off late PM on each day on Friday and Saturday.

Karting? Mooch around the village / trade stalls? Fair ground? Museum? Have a drive into the region nearby (some lovely villages and stuff)? Look round the city itself?

[generationx]

The live music this year:

Wednesday night: Diva Faune
Thursday Night: Cock Robin
Saturday night: Franz Ferdinand

[//j17]

Friday: Arrive, set up camp, jump on the tram in to town to catch the Drivers Parade (or rather the atmosphear around it) and have a nice meal.
Monday: Try the museum, or maybe set off earlier, take a slightly more scenic route and stop for a nice lunch somewhere.

[wsn03]

Jonny TVR said:

We are arriving mid morning on Friday and leaving Monday after lunch. Thinking if there are any bands on or recommendations on anything else.

St Saturnin Great British Welcome (or whatever its called) - not been but going this year.
Mulsanne car show - not been
Museum - excellent
Village in the Grandstand - before its packed on Saturday look around the many shops and exhibits, very good

[davidd]

Town Friday night is a good shout

[Jonny TVR]

If we went into town for a meal would you book anywhere? where would you go?

[FredericRobinson]

Sit about the campsite drinking beer and talking rubbish

[transitman]

FredericRobinson said:

Sit about the campsite drinking beer and talking rubbish

This

[RobbyJ]

transitman said:

This

+2

[davidd]

Jonny TVR said:

If we went into town for a meal would you book anywhere? where would you go?

Head out of the main square into the old bit of town and you will find somewhere, we always do and that's with between 6 and 10 of us.

[//j17]

Jonny TVR said:

If we went into town for a meal would you book anywhere? where would you go?

You only need to book if you want to go to THAT restaurant and eat RIGHT after the end of the parade.

There are a load of perfectly good restaurant in the centre of Le Mans though, either in the main parade square (Place du la Republique) or off in to the old town bits around it (My traditional area is to head out the right hand corner of the square as you see it facing the McDonalds and down the little non-tram road.at the bottom cross the main road and up the even littler road opposite. There's a host of reasonably priced/reasosnable quality little restaurants in there).

Demand for tables is obviously highest at the point the parade ends but a walk and maybe a little wait will get you a table. Otherwise if you get hungry earlier just leave the parade and you'll have the pick table sin any of the non main square restaurants. Or grab yourself a snack during the parade and have a couple of extra pints somewhere after the parade ends. You'll then be hitting the restaurants as the main crowd are finishing up and leaving so again can pick and choose.

[Dblue]

Town on the Friday is fantastic - great atmosphere. Lots of places to eat and lots of bars , generally buzzing until the early hours.

Classic British Welcome in St Saturnin is well worth the trip too, starts breaking up around 4pm just in time to get into town.

Sunday after the race is trickier as not everywhere is open. We have a drive out ourselves, lots of possible places to head to, but often end up doing our own food oor going into Le Mans again

On Monday, take the A28 out of town and then head for Honfleur about halfway back to Calais. Lovely town, lots of nice restaurants to choose from

[//j17]

Dblue said:

Sunday after the race is trickier as not everywhere is open.

Good point. If you're looking for some breakfast and fuel for the home run filling station just off Mulsanne roundabout's usually open and in previous years the little boulangerie in the same car park's been open and had tables outside, selling breakfast pastries and coffee.

[Jonny TVR]

Thanks again guys .. there is so much knowledge on pistonheads

[E36GUY]

Other events (don't help you OP I'm afraid. You're arriving far to late!).....

Tuesday 11th June: 1600-2300
Celebration of Race Cars 1949-1959 - Ruardin Village

Thursday 13th June: 0900-1700
Arnage Dans La Course - Celebrating "Arnage in the Race" and this year the theme is French Racing Marks - Renault, Pescarollo, Courage etc.... (the website is woeful).
Located at Place F. Mitterand, Arnage

[LancsDriver]

FRIDAY -
Mulsanne Car show down by the corner, its free and better from Mid morning / early afternoon, good assortment of cars.

Pit walk about/garage walkabout and part of track upto Dunlop bridge, usually some sort of display on here too.

Museum - lots of traders, in and around the village

Evening Drivers parade in the town.

Or go for a nice meal.....

[Phil-4l82c]

RobbyJ said:

transitman said:

This

+2

[MrC986]

Drive the public sections of the track, especially the Mulsanne Straight section so you can appreciate the scale of the circuit etc. on the Monday morning (though watch out for the local police looking for speeding!). If you have a decent amount of spare beer tokens, a helicopter trip is worth it or the cheaper alternative is a trip on the Ferris wheel to get an elevated view of things.

Also have a look at the Beer Mountain website for things to do.

[Brett99]

Is it worth arriving on Wednesday for some of the qualifying ? Trying to work out what day is best to arrive.